Time
by Jambammer
Summary: As the time of peace draws to an end, the time for Arthur and the time for Merlin is coming faster than either know it.
1. To Consider

__

A/N: Welcome all to the sequel to Replacement! If you didn't read the first, all you really need to know is that Gwen was killed by Uther's order, having been convicted of sorcery. She was replaced by a new handmaiden, Adelaide. That's it, really. The story was more how everyone dealt, setting it up for this one ;D

* * *

_"The king is dead!"_

_Screams._

_Bodies strewn in a blood drenched field._

_Cries of pain._

_"Merlin, stay with me!"_

_Lit candles of mourning._

With a high pitched and terrified scream, Morgana jolted upright, her chest heaving as she came back to reality. Her dark hair was plastered against her face and her hands trembled wildly. The darkness of her room surrounded her, unable to provide the same security that daylight often brought.

She had never seen so much death in a dream before. Those poor men, broken and battered, just lying there and dying in agony. Arrows had pierced through their armour. Many had the bites of angry blades across their lifeless or draining faces. It had been horrifying, and it seemed like it had been one of _those _dreams. The Lady whimpered, clutching at her blanket. It would come true.

Death. Arthur crying. Merlin, barely alive. Arthur with a King's crown.

At least one good piece of news had come from her dream.

Uther was going to die.

Calming herself, Morgana allowed her lips to curl up into a smile.

The time to strike was sooner then ever. Even her dreams agreed.

She could figure out how to stop the rest when the time came.

* * *

"Father…" Arthur started in protest, but the King continued on.

"I'm serious, Arthur." Of course he was; he'd given Arthur the same lecture three times in the past two weeks _at least_. It was tiresome. "You are of age. It's time you were thinking about finding a bride."

Arthur fought the urge to huff at his blonde bangs in annoyance and tried to keep his temper. "Father, I don't need a bride. Besides, I'm far too busy to be thinking of marriage now."

"Too busy with what?" Uther's tone stated that he knew Arthur wasn't.

The Prince racked his brain for any kind of excuse. "Well…" He stalled, "training!" Yes, training would work! "I have some men that I believe to be ready for knighthood soon." It wasn't a direct lie, he did have some that showed promise. He'd have to work with them a bit longer to be sure of course... longer, so it would be longer before he had to ride out in search of some maiden's hand. The thought made him shiver. He was happy with life as it was then. "As you yourself have said in the past, we have to keep the armies well trained in case of war."

Turning, Uther leaned over the table to the papers he had been examining before sending for his son and chuckled, nearly sending Arthur through the roof. He found this funny? It was hardly funny! "It is true, but you cannot train your life away."

"I'm still young," Arthur argued, and his father nodded.

"Indeed you are, which is why you should be beginning your search now." The prince couldn't believe this. Was he being ordered to find a girl to court and marry? "I have heard of a lovely princess from the kingdom…"

"Father," Arthur interrupted quickly, "I will find someone, and I promise you I will do so before I am old and gray," he squashed the urge to add 'as you are,' "but you must let me find this girl on my own. I know my duties. Camelot is my priority."

The old king opened his mouth to say something otherwise, but decided against it and nodded, forcing a smile. "All right."

Arthur blinked. He hadn't expected to win that easy. He was never able to win arguments with his father that easy. "Was that all?"

Uther nodded once more and waved his hand. "Yes, you may go." Looking down, he tried to hide a grimace of pain. "Oh, Arthur," he called as his son opened the door, collecting himself again. "Send Gaius to me."

"Are you ill?" Arthur asked worriedly, looking back to his father. In that moment, his father looked older then ever, and although they had disagreed, Arthur couldn't swallow the worry beginning to eat at him.

"No, no," Uther dismissed the thought, waving his hand. "I just have something I would like to discuss with him." Unconvinced, his son nodded and promptly left.

The moment the heavy wooden door closed, Uther sank down to a chair, clutching at his chest with his face twisted from the searing aches stabbing at him from within. The blasted pains were worse then ever, and it was getting harder to hide it.

* * *

"I'm told this happens often."

Merlin tried to blink a chunk of tomato away from his eye as he struggled to see the voice talking to him. He could only see part of her slightly worn out dress as she was leaning against the frame of his wooden entrapment.

"Not… often," he tried to argue as the splatter from another exploding food item hit his face, but she laughed.

"Not according to Gaius."

"When did you see Gaius?" He asked, barely managing to dodge another flying fruit. Unfortunately, having his hands restrained out in front of him didn't allow for much dodging, which was the point of the stocks he supposed. What kind of punishment would it be if he could avoid all the flying food?

She held a tiny bottle forward for his blue eyes to see. "I had to pick up my Lady's sleeping medicine. She's been having nightmares again. I noticed you weren't there, and I hadn't seen you around the castle, so I inquired." Adelaide leaned forward so he could see her. The girl seemed to have a strange pleasure from seeing him like this, Merlin noted. He'd keep that in mind in case she ever wound up here. "What happened?" She asked curiously.

"It hardly matters," Arthur was so dead once he was freed from this, "and this is hardly the place to discuss anything."

"All right," she shrugged and walked away. Merlin nodded, preparing himself for the next round which the people were eagerly preparing themselves for. Seriously, wouldn't they ever lose interest in this?

She stopped at a young boy, taking aim with a potato. "I wouldn't throw that," she advised, plucking it from his hands and Merlin breathed a sigh of relief. He'd have to thank her later. "He works for the prince you know. Someone has to be the brains, and the other the pretty face." Bending down to pick up a tomato, she whispered in the young ear, and Merlin tried to lean forward more to hear, but it proved to be futile. Standing back up, she dropped the fruit in his hand. "Besides, this is more effective."

"What did you tell him? Adelaide!" Merlin demanded as the boy and others took aim once more, but she didn't answer. Instead she continued walking away, giving him a wave over her shoulder as she disappeared into the crowd.


	2. For Secrets

Merlin stormed into the room, covered in bits of the food that had been shot at him.

"Something wrong, Merlin?" Arthur asked, not looking up from the map he was studying.

Merlin shot him a look. Of course something was wrong, and it was his fault! "I got put in the stocks. Again," he announced, brushing a seed off his shirt. The act made him feel somewhat rebellious.

Then again, he was likely to be the one cleaning it up.

"It's not my fault you can't come up with a good excuse as to why I didn't report to my Father," Arthur replied tonelessly, measuring the approximate distance between two kingdoms. He sighed. "I got mine too, don't worry."

"Oh really, did they hit you with potatoes?" Merlin asked sarcastically.

Arthur ignored this. "My father found me and had the guards bring me in."

"Why have you been running from him anyways?" His servant asked curiously, combing seeds and the remains of various fruits out of his hair with his fingers.

"He wants me to marry." From the look on his face, Arthur wasn't too pleased but had reached a reluctant surrender. "I've decided to ride out in a week's time to meet some of the potential future queens."

That hadn't quite been what Merlin was expecting. Actually, he wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but he knew it wasn't that. "To marry? Why?"

"I'm not sure, but he's been adamant about it the past couple weeks," Arthur replied miserably, slouching back in his chair. "I'm going just to appease him. I don't expect to find a bride."

Merlin grinned. "No? You may be surprised. They say that love comes from nowhere and hits you over the head when you're least prepared. That's how it was with you and Sophia." Well, it wasn't entirely, but as Arthur didn't know the true story, it was entertaining to taunt him about it.

"Oh don't bring that up," the prince groaned, rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes. Thinking about his friend's words, he opened them and looked up at the dark haired man curiously. "How would you know, Merlin? Are you in love?"

"Me? No way," Merlin laughed, pouring water into a basin. The stickiness of the fruit juice gluing his hair to his skin was becoming unbearable. He had to get it off his face, and soon. If Arthur had a problem with that, he could shove it. It was his fault he was covered in produce blood anyhow. "Actually, I was rather hoping I could come along with you."

"Of course you'll be coming, you're my servant," Arthur reminded him, but cocked his head to the side and watched as his servant filled his hands with water and submerged his face. "Why?"

Raising his head and shaking off his hands, Merlin shrugged as the water dripped down off his chin. "Maybe there are pretty handmaidens as well as princesses in other kingdoms."

"Perhaps," Arthur nodded thoughtfully. "But don't go getting too attached to them. We can't bring back a girl for you and not me when the purpose of the trip is to find a wife for me, and I already told you; I don't expect to find a bride."

So that's how it was. Arthur didn't want to find a bride, he was just going to get Uther off his back. They may not even make it to another kingdom, just wander the countryside for a few days. Merlin couldn't complain; it would be better then doing chores all day.

"Take that to the kitchen, will you?" Arthur nodded towards a tray sitting on the other end of the table. Merlin dried his hands on his shirt and nodded, setting the water jug onto it as well. "Oh and, try not to spill anything this time. I heard about you and Morgana's handmaiden."

Of course he had. Merlin sighed and walked out the door. This day just continued to get better.

* * *

There was a heavy silence of foreboding hanging in the air. Both men could sense it. Without needing to speak, they knew the truth.

"What… what do you think is wrong, Gaius?" Uther dared to ask.

He didn't want to say. He wanted to keep it a secret and pray he wasn't right. "I believe your heart is failing," Gaius replied gravely.

Uther nodded sadly. He knew. He also knew what it meant; he didn't have much time remaining among the living.

"How long do I have?" He managed to ask, masking all emotion. As long as he was still king, he was still the leader of the land and he still had to be strong.

"Weeks, sire, if that. Avoiding excitement will give you a little longer," Gaius advised. "You should tell Arthur…"

"No!" Uther rose to his feet, but the sudden wave of dizziness as well as a harsh look from Gaius made him sit back down again. "No," he said, softer this time, "Arthur must not know. I don't want him to worry. He has a task he must focus on."

"Sire," the physician tried to argue, but the stubborn king shook his head.

"He must not know," Uther insisted, and there was a quiet plea hidden beneath his words.

"I can make you a medicine that will ease the pain," Gaius still disagreed, but there was no arguing with the king, "and I recommend that you spend some time in bed resting. We can hide it from Arthur longer until it's absolutely necessary that he knows."

Uther nodded. This was fair, but there was no way he was going to spend the days resting in bed. People would notice that something were wrong. He had to go on as though everything was normal, as though nothing had changed.

"There should be a banquet," Uther decided suddenly. "To celebrate how Camelot has prospered."

Gaius couldn't believe his ears. As usual, everything he had said went in one ear and out the other with the king. Some days, he wasn't sure why he bothered at all.

* * *

So Morgana's handmaiden was a snitch. Merlin found himself muttering under his breath as he neared the kitchen. No one else had been around to see the incident, just he and her, so it had to have been her who told.

As he set the tray down on one of the counters, he looked at the girls working, and a particular pale blue bandana caught his eye. Chopping carrots near the back was the snitch herself.

"Aren't you supposed to be waiting on Morgana?" He asked making his way over to her, and she didn't look up.

"Aren't you supposed to be waiting on Arthur?" She asked back, reaching for another carrot to dice. Merlin watched as she brought the knife down rather quickly, with a terrifying force each time. He took a step back.

"I am," he replied honestly.

"And so am I," Adelaide answered, using the blade of the knife to push all the pieces off to the side of the cutting board. "My lady didn't get much sleep last night, so she's napping now. I decided to make myself useful." Thwack. Another carrot was decapitated by the sharp blade in her hands. "She'll send for me when she's awake should I not be back by then."

He couldn't argue that, so he looked around at the rest of the people in the room. They were all busy with their tasks, ignoring the two who were talking. "You told Arthur about the water incident?" Merlin asked lowly, hoping the rest of the kitchen staff wouldn't hear. Then again, they may already know. If she could tell the prince, why not the other servants?

"No," she scraped the latest minced carrot off to the side and reached for another from the large pile. "I told Morgana because she saw me before I had a chance to change and asked why I was covered in water. I cannot control my Lady's mouth." That was true enough, but something told him that Adelaide couldn't control her own mouth sometimes.

He looked her over. She was different from Gwen, in every way. The only thing they might have had in common was perhaps height, and their dark hair. Adelaide always wore hers down however, held away from her face with a bandana. Gwen would wear hers up. His eyes settled on her nose. Something looked wrong about it, as though it had been bent out of shape.

"Adelaide, what happened to your nose?" He dared to ask, and she stopped cutting the moment his words were spoken. For the first time, she raised her green eyes and glared at him.

"You don't know me very well, so this is the one time you can get away with asking me that," she warned, lifting the knife blade out in front of her. "Never ask about my nose, understand? It's my business." Merlin took a step back. The blade was a little too close for comfort.

"Understood," he agreed hurriedly, wishing she'd put the knife back down. "I… uh, I should really be getting back to Arthur."

"Yes you should," she snapped, and he didn't need to be told twice.

When he had left, she rubbed her nose self consciously, remembering how it used to be.

Grabbing another carrot, she chopped off the top with all the force she had, fuelled by anger.

* * *

A/N: So much more to come :D Reviews would be loved! I'm terribly bad at remembering to reply however. Best way to get a reply from me? Ask a question. I LOVE answering questions about my stories/plots/characters. If I don't reply to you, I'm really, really sorry, but know I did read it and it probably made me very happy the rest of the night! I'm a feedback junkie I suppose.


	3. To Recall The Past

"I hear your father's throwing a banquet."

Startled, a bleary eyed Arthur looked up from the numerous maps to the dark haired beauty in his doorway. "What?"

She took a few graceful steps forward, surprise showing on her features. "You haven't heard?"

He sat back in his chair, racking his brain for any mention of such a thing. Nothing came to mind. Come to think of it, aside from pushing for him to marry, his father really hadn't talked to him much lately. "No."

She bunched the skirt of her long dress in her hands. "One of the servants mentioned it to Adelaide while she was working in the kitchen this afternoon. From the sounds of it, it will be one of the biggest Camelot has ever seen. It's to happen soon." Taking a few steps closer, she glanced at the papers spread out over the table. "Going on a hunting trip?"

"Not exactly," he muttered, rolling them up before she could look too closely at the markings he had made. "Going on a trip... for… well…" No words came to mind.

"When?" She inquired instead, not letting him think of an excuse.

"Next week," he answered slowly, looking at her suspiciously. "Why are you so interested?"

"I want to come with you," Morgana announced plainly.

This had been the last thing he was expecting her to say. Arthur shook his head, trying to convey to her silently that she couldn't come along, that she wasn't welcome on this expedition. "I really don't…"

"Why not? I'd like to get away from the castle for a while." She looked at him sideways, accusingly. "Unless you have other reasoning for this trip."

"I…" Tell her! All he had to do was tell her! She'd understand. After all, how would it look to a Princess or Lady - should he actually make it there - if he had another woman along with him? "No. It's just…We'll just be sleeping in the countryside. You're not accustomed to that."

"Neither are you," she pointed out with a smirk, recalling when they had gone to Merlin's home village. It was no secret that Arthur had hated not having a proper bed. "I'll have Adelaide be sure that we are packed."

"Morgana!" he tried to argue, but it was apparent that she had already made up her mind. She grinned at him as she walked out. "You're impossible!"

* * *

Uther exhaled slowly, trying to expel some of the pain from deep within himself out into the room along with his breath. He was glad to be alone for the moment. It was in these rare times that he could actually suffer, as pain often required. Usually, there would be a servant, or advisor, or someone else around for one reason or another, and he'd have to pretend that everything was fine.

But everything was not fine, and it grew worse by the day. He knew this, and Gaius knew this, but not another soul. It grew increasingly difficult to hide.

Slouching back in his chair, he tried to relax, hoping that it would ease the sharp knives stabbing him from deep inside. He wanted to tell Arthur, he did. However, earlier in the day, word had been sent to him that Arthur was making plans to ride out to the neighbouring kingdoms. The boy had finally listened. Naturally, that meant he couldn't tell Arthur now. His son had to go, he had to find a wife.

His days as king grew shorter as Arthur's drew nearer. His son had become a fine young man, and he knew that he'd make a good replacement. Closing his eyes, Uther hoped with all that he had that his son would do better. Be a better king, use better judgement then he had. Uther had made mistakes, and he knew of them. Some he regretted more then others.

Arthur would do better.

Arthur would rule well, and his sons would one day continue the Pendragon rule as well.

He wouldn't be around to see them, to see any of his hopes. He'd only been around to see his own failures. Yet, he knew that Arthur would make him proud, even if he were not there to witness it.

For the first time in ages, Uther bowed his head and wept.

* * *

"I told him we were coming along," Morgana explained with a hint of pride in her voice as Adelaide tied the fastenings of her dress.

The servant girl grinned. "I'll be glad to spend a few days in the country. I've missed it." Moving to the next fastening, Adelaide tilted her head to try to see Morgana's face. "Tell me, are we going just to annoy Arthur?"

"Not exactly," the raven haired lady replied, and her maidservant smirked. "I really am tired of the castle. A couple days out will be good." She sighed. "He believes that I do not know why he's riding out."

Adelaide raised an eyebrow. "The whole castle knows. Why would you not?"

It was evident that the Lady had been hurt. "I don't know. He wouldn't even tell me why he was going when I asked." She inhaled sharply suddenly. "Too tight."

"Sorry, my Lady," Adelaide said apologetically, loosening the offending fastening. "Men are strange creatures, my Lady. Perhaps he is worried about hurting you?"

"But why?" Morgana asked over her shoulder.

The dark haired servant shrugged, finishing the last of them. "There has always been something between you two, which I believe comes from knowing someone so closely for so long. Perhaps he is worried that finding a bride would break that?"

"You sound as though you've seen this before," Morgana pointed out, fixing and smoothing out her dress in the mirror while Adelaide picked out a necklace to go with the outfit from her jewellery. "Or something like it."

The girl looked down, and stopped a moment, a far away sadness of an aching memory flooding her eyes. "I left the countryside for a reason, my Lady," she answered quietly before regaining her smile and continuing with her duties as Morgana sat down in the chair near her. "What do you think this Princess will be like?" She asked offhandedly.

Morgana laughed as her servant hooked her necklace around her neck. "Hopefully not full of herself, too dainty to do anything but sit around all day." She sat up straighter, folding her hands in mockery of the girl in question.

"Would Arthur really marry someone like that?" Adelaide asked, grinning.

A knock at the door interrupted the two.

"Enter," Morgana called. "I hope not," she added quickly to her handmaiden as Merlin pushed open the door and peered in.

"Gaius wanted to know how the sleeping draught worked," he said, avoiding Adelaide's piercing eyes, "he says he can make a stronger one if necessary?"

"No, it's fine, Merlin," Morgana told him politely, giving him a smile. It was lie, the dreams kept coming, but nothing could stop them. She knew that now.

He nodded, and began to shut the door. Hesitating a moment, he stopped and opened it a bit more, raising his blue eyes to the young woman glaring at him. "I'm sorry about before, Adelaide," he offered quietly. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Morgana watched the two in confusion, but her handmaiden understood.

"It's all right," Adelaide replied curtly with a slight nod, turning her eyes down. "You didn't know."

Merlin gave her a tiny smile before closing the door behind him as he left. Fixing her bandanna that held back her hair, Adelaide turned away from the door and her Lady's questioning eyes.

"Did something happen?" Morgana finally asked curiously when her handmaiden remained silent. Adelaide rubbed the bridge of her nose before turning back with a forced smile.

"No. Nothing of importance," she replied, but Morgana's eyes remained incredulous. Adelaide pretended not to notice.

* * *

A/N: If any of you like webcomics, I've turned Replacement into one :D Or started anyways. It's on my deviantart for those interested :D


	4. For Pride

The days that followed were filled with hurried preparation. For the servants and staff of the castle, they worked to prepare for the feast, which would be to celebrate the Prince's return, as well as years of prosperity in Camelot. For the servants of the Prince and the Lady Morgana, they found themselves doing the necessary preparations in order to leave.

* * *

"Why does Arthur need to bring his armour?" Adelaide asked curiously, watching the dark haired manservant as he shined the different pieces and packed them.

"What if we get into trouble?" Merlin asked in reply, setting the gleaming sword in his hands off to the side. "It wouldn't do to have the crown prince killed while out trying to find a bride."

The handmaiden looked over the different metal pieces. "But he's not wearing the armour when we ride out, so how will that be of any help to protect him?"

Merlin didn't have an answer for that. "You try wearing armour all day sometime, and we'll see how keen you are to spend days wearing it. He hopefully won't be attacked," Merlin added, preparing to polish the next piece. "Pass me the pauldron."

Adelaide looked blankly at the armour segments, then back to Merlin. "The what?"

Merlin leaned over and pointed to the shoulder piece. "That one."

She picked it up and extended it to him. "Next time, just do that."

"Do what?"

"Point and say 'that thing.' I understand that."

"You should learn more about armour," Merlin advised, somewhat sarcastically, and the girl laughed as she adjusted her red bandana.

"Me? Learn about armour? I have no need to fill my head with such nonsense," she dismissed the thought. "It's not as if I'm going to be suiting up any knights."

"What if a war breaks out?" Merlin asked, rubbing the metal with his rag but looking at her.

She shrugged. "If a war should happen, then perhaps I'll find the time. Until then, no thanks. It's not for me. I know how to do other things of importance."

Merlin nodded with a grin, continuing with his job. "What if your husband needs you to help with suiting him up?"

She raised an eyebrow. "In our hypothetical war?" He nodded. "Well," she shifted on the chair she was sitting on and thought, "considering I'm not married, I wouldn't have to worry about that. If I had a husband, I'd hope that he knew how to put on his own armour."

The warlock laughed and set down the piece of armour in his hands. "Don't you have somewhere you're supposed to be?"

"Yes, and here I am," Adelaide replied. "My Lady had no tasks for me, so she said that I should come and help you."

"Right." Some help. "Well then, pass me the helmet. You do know which…"

"Yes, yes, that one I know," Adelaide picked up the helmet from beside her and passed it to the man near by. "That, and I wanted to apologize," she added, almost hesitantly.

"For what?" Merlin asked, turning his attention to the helmet he was shining.

She was quiet. "For snapping at you," she finally spoke. "It wasn't right of me. You didn't know I was sensitive about… so yeah. I'm sorry."

"Uh… it's alright?" He replied, somewhat surprised. He had a feeling however that she wasn't finished. He was right.

"I finally started being accepted around here, making friends. I didn't want to blow all that, especially with you. You were the first person here to be nice to me. I'd rather you didn't hate me because I lost my temper one time," she laughed nervously, hoping for some kind of sign acceptance and forgiveness in his face.

To her relief, he laughed again. "Don't worry. It would take more then threatening me with a knife once to end a friendship. Haven't I told you that Arthur had me thrown in prison the day we met?"

Her green eyes widened. "Really?"

He nodded. "Really. He was being an ass, and I stood up to him. Then I wound up saving his life. Still haven't really decided if that was the best thing I've ever done, or the worst thing."

Adelaide laughed.

Merlin set down the helmet. "Pass me the gauntlet."

She returned a blank stare. "The what?"

* * *

"Excited for the trip?" Merlin asked, and Arthur groaned.

"I'm filled with excitement, can't you just feel it?" He asked sarcastically, putting his arm through the sleeve of his jacket. "Do you think there's any way I can get out of it?"

His servant shook his head, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing or grinning. "Not unless you managed to become gravely ill within the next two days."

From the look on the Prince's face, he considering it and probably trying to think of ways to make himself sick. "Since Morgana's coming, I'm going to have to ride out again." The enthusiasm in his voice was overwhelming.

Merlin turned away to hide the look on his face and pretended to be busy. "Wouldn't you have had to ride out again anyways?"

"That is hardly the point," Arthur retorted.

"Why don't you just tell her not to come?" Merlin suggested as Arthur sat down on his bed, obviously dreading the days that lay ahead.

He shot a glare at his servant. "Why don't you make yourself useful and go clean my saddle?"

"Yes, sire." Merlin had already cleaned it the day before, but he didn't feel like reminding the prince of this fact.

Once his friend had left, Arthur flopped backwards onto the welcoming cushions and blankets of his bed. Why couldn't he just tell Morgana that she couldn't come around? Well, she wouldn't listen for one thing, he reasoned. The girl had a will stronger then his, but he could have had his father order that she stay behind. Yet, somehow he couldn't bring himself to have the order carried out.

Why?

He didn't know.

He didn't even know why it was that she wanted to come along.

Arthur sighed.

What was wrong with the world?

* * *

"Is Arthur scared about one day becoming king?" Adelaide asked offhandedly as she and Merlin walked through the halls of the castle, each to their own destination.

Merlin nodded. "I believe so, but you know Arthur. He'll never admit to it."

She sighed and shook her head. "Men just can't seem to show emotion."

"Hey, I do," Merlin objected, and the dark haired girl walking alongside him just smiled.

"Yes, but I think you're different somehow, Merlin dear." She patted his arm gently.

He raised an eyebrow. "That had better be a good different."

Adelaide grinned. "Of course."

"How do you think I could help him?" Merlin switched back to their original topic. "It's one thing to always know you'll get the responsibility, it's another for it to actually happen."

Clutching the basket of clothes with one hand and pressing it against her hip, Adelaide thought for a moment then smirked. "You can't make someone ready to step up to that responsibility. It's something they need to accept for themselves… but…"

"But what?"

"You can give them a kick in the arse every so often to hurry them up," She stated, turning down another hall.

"Right," Merlin said to himself with a grin before continuing down the hall he was taking.

* * *

Being confined to bed was something Uther had come to decide that he didn't like. Pain was another thing he didn't like. He didn't like hiding from the rest of his kingdom, which, lying here in his bed with only Gaius knowing the truth, he was. And, he especially didn't like the court physician lecturing him.

He liked things that he could control, and he could control none of these things. The only reason he had complied thus far was because he wanted to see Arthur off the following morning. That wasn't so much a want. He _had_ to see his son off in the morning.

"Sire," Gaius started from beside him as he mixed up a medicine of some sorts, the king didn't really know or care of what they were composed of, "You should tell Arthur before he goes."

Was he mad? "I can not tell Arthur." To Gaius, the king was being stubborn. To Uther, Gaius just didn't understand, and he couldn't understand why.

"Sire, you're getting worse," the king knew that, he didn't need to be reminded. "What if something should happen while he's gone?"

"Then it happens," Uther's body might have been failing him, but his eyes hadn't lost their strength when it came to giving powerful looks. "But it won't. Arthur will be crowned during a proper ceremony, one I'd like to see be his wedding as well."

Gaius was going to lose his hair over this, he just knew it. "Sire…" he stopped, seeing that the look in Uther's eyes had not changed. "…yes Sire," he obeyed reluctantly, knowing that arguing would be foolish and returning silently to the mixture he had been creating.

Uther looked straight ahead into nothing. Arthur would learn when the time was right. Now was not the time.

* * *

"Is everything there, Merlin?" Arthur asked, watching his servant hitching the bundles to the saddles upon the fine horses.

Merlin nodded. "Unless there was something you forgot to mention that was needed, it's all here."

"I did not forget anything," the Prince assured him, taking over what Merlin was doing. "I'll finish here; go make sure your horse is ready."

"Yes, sire," the blue eyed servant nodded and went off to saddle his own horse. Seizing the opportunity for a private conversation, Morgana approached Arthur as quickly as she could without raising suspicions from any watching eyes.

Lowering her face, she gazed at the dark fur of the creature before her as though helping the prince. "Does Uther look well to you?" She asked him softly, hiding her words from everyone but Arthur. The prince looked up to the castle window where his father watched over. His father did look a little ashen, now that she mentioned it. And old. Lately, his father seemed so much older then he had.

"He's assured me that he's well," Arthur tried to reassure the girl, tearing his eyes away and focusing back on the large bags he was securing. "If he weren't, he'd tell me."

Morgana looked back up to the window. "I hope you're right."

"He's fine, Morgana," Arthur promised her gently with a soft touch to her arm, misunderstanding her worry and trying to dismiss his own. She only smiled thinly and nodded.

She didn't want to see anything happen to the king, nothing that wasn't by her hand that was. The Lady had promised her deceased handmaiden revenge, and she would get it.

She would.

* * *

"There he goes," Uther announced to the few gathered in the room with him. He faced the window, but the proud smile upon his face could be felt by all present.

"I can't believe the young prince is already of age to marry," one of the elder of the room stated.

"I'm sure he will choose wise, Sire." Another remarked.

Uther nodded. "I have complete faith in my son," he stated with the pride that only a father could ever know. "He is a fine young man, and whoever he chooses will be the only one worthy of the title of Queen." With tired eyes, he watched until Arthur and those travelling with him were out of sight before he turned away from the window.

Gaius watched the king's every move closely. He seemed to be better today, but then, a day in bed was often just what was needed to help regain strength. The old physician was glad that the stubborn king had listened to him, even if it were only for that day.

Perhaps, today would be a day for everyone to enjoy, as would the one when Arthur returned.

* * *

The first day, the group found themselves swallowed whole by a heavy, awkward silence. Arthur lead the way, and it seemed quite clear to his servant riding alongside him that the prince was perfectly content to wallow in his situation in silence. The two women following close behind didn't seem to feel it quite as bad. Every now and then Merlin would hear a typical giggle or murmur from one of the two, but he could never make out their conversation. Still, conversation wasn't frequent, but it was enough to make the warlock wonder if he were the only one bothered by the stiff feelings in the air.

Be it in silence or to the soundtrack of the wildlife surrounding them or Morgana and Adelaide's conversations, they pressed forward. No one knew exactly where they were headed, with the exception of Arthur but he kept to himself and Merlin didn't dare ask him. It were almost as if the prince radiated warnings and threats should anyone dare speak a word to him. Merlin had learned to heed these warnings. Most of the time.

Eventually, Arthur stopped his horse, a move that everyone else mimicked. Daylight hours were growing fewer as shown by the sun's low position in the sky. Dismounting from his horse, the Prince surveyed their surroundings. At last, he nodded.

"We'll make camp here," he announced, beginning to untie one of the bundles as everyone else dismounted from the backs of their horses. "Merlin, go fetch some firewood."

"Yes, Sire," Merlin said, bounding off into the nearby woods. The area wasn't exactly out in the open, but it was open enough that they'd have room to breath.

Adelaide listened to the sounds around them intently before breaking out into a smile. "I hear a river! My lady, may I be excused for a while? I haven't been to a river in so long!"

Morgana laughed at her maid's enthusiasm. "Yes, of course. I doubt whether you'd listen to me if I said no."

"Just don't get lost," Arthur called after the girl who was already eagerly bounding into the woods.

"Me? Get lost?" Adelaide grinned in response. "Never."

Soon, she was gone, only the fading sounds of her crunching through the forest remained, and that too didn't last long.

"Your handmaiden has quite the mouth," Arthur remarked as he finished unloading the horse tied to a tree.

Securing her own horse to a nearby tree as well, Morgana nodded. "She does," her tone suggested that she was proud of her servant. "She's usually good with controlling it. Perhaps being away from the castle has given her a feeling of less formality." Breathing in deeply, she beamed. "It's good to get away for a while, don't you think, Arthur?"

"Yes, it's great," Arthur replied sarcastically, looking about their campsite. "Nothing I would have liked better in the world. Who wants a comfortable bed in a warm castle with good food when you could be out here, sleeping on the rock hard dirt and eating who knows what?"

"I think it's exciting," the raven haired girl replied adventurously. "We're not protected by the thick walls of the castle, the heavy guard… here, we're on our own. Makes one feel rather independent."

The blonde prince snorted. "You're a woman. What use have you for independence? All you do is sit around all day."

He wished he could have taken back his words the moment they left his lips and he saw the look of terrible hurt that fell upon her face. Pretending he hadn't noticed, he went about what he had been doing.

* * *

Sticks, sticks, sticks. Here he was, a powerful wizard capable of nearly anything, albeit unbeknownst to Arthur, and what was he doing? Sticks. He had been reduced to gathering sticks. Well, it was better then washing clothing, he supposed. Or polishing the Prince's boots. Or mucking out the stables. He had the freedom to wander around too, and he intended on taking his time.

Come to think of it, maybe gathering sticks wasn't so bad.

He had missed being out in the woods, alone. It had been far too long. All the nature that surrounded him was welcoming. From majestic birds to the tiniest of insects, Merlin had missed it all.

Wish a flash of his eyes, he slowed time around him just to observe a hummingbird beating it's wings as it took interest in a flower up in a tree. Looking up with wonder, he loved the way the sunlight filtered through the leaves to dance gently down upon the ground below. It was a beautiful sight, one he knew Arthur would never understand.

Right. Arthur. Sticks.

Resuming time, he continued on with his job, bending down every so often to pick up a stick that would be suitable for firewood.

Coming to a clearing in the trees, he found himself walking along the banks of a river. The rushing waters had a tranquility to them. Four days of this? Yeah, he could handle it.

Blinking his eyes, he thought he saw the figure of a girl up ahead. Squinting to try and make it our better, he furrowed his brow in confusion. There were no nearby villages, according to the maps. They were out in the middle of nowhere. Who would be out here? Whoever she was, she had her back to him as she waded through the deep waters of the river.

At that moment, he caught sight of the pale blue dress slung over a branch from the corner of his eye. His breath caught in his throat. Why was it always him who got into these situations?

Unfortunately, she turned at the same moment, giving him no time to run.

She screamed and submerged herself in the water as Merlin frantically did his best to get away.

* * *

Merlin gulped and sat down next to the girl by the fire.

"Adelaide, listen, I'm so sorry," he stammered apologetically. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye and pulled the blanket draped over her shoulders a little tighter. Night had fallen, and a chill breeze along with it. "I didn't see anything, I swear."

She watched the dancing flames for a moment before a smirk tugged at her mouth and she laughed quietly to herself. "It's all right."

He still had his life, so this was going better then it had when he imagined it. The heavy awkwardness hadn't lifted much though. "So… um…" he tried to make conversation.

"You didn't see anything?" She cut in bluntly, and he flushed. Usually once someone apologized, the subject was dropped.

"No, nothing."

"If you had, would you have liked what you had seen?"

"Yes," he answered without thinking. "No, wait, Adelaide, that's not…" He stammered as he tried to correct the situation, turning even darker then before.

Adelaide just watched the fire and grinned, barely listening to his rambling but enjoying his embarrassment. Ah, revenge.

Across the fire, neither Arthur nor Morgana seemed to have taken notice to what was happening with their servants. Rather, the two sat awkwardly beside each other, unsure of what to say, so they said nothing at all.

Finally, Arthur held out his hand with a piece of bread. Looking at it for a moment, Morgana gingerly took it, giving him a small smile of thanks. He returned the smile with a sheepish one of his own before nodding and looking back to the fire.

* * *

A/N: Hope everyone's okay with a longer chapter ;D Reviews?


	5. To Think

_Merlin's eyes were closed as a panicked Arthur lifted his broken body into his arms, desperate to sense life within his friend. _

_"Merlin, stay with me!" Arthur pleaded, his voice cracking from weariness and grief. He looked tired, scare., The black haired boy in his arms lay motionless, his pale face devoid of emotion. His ghostly complexion made the brilliance of the red splattered across half his face stand out that much more._

_Around them, men cried out, swords clashed, and bodies dropped heavily and suddenly to the ground._

Morgana gasped silently as she violently awoke to the darkness of the night. All she heard was the silence encasing them as she tried to catch her breath. Pushing herself up and supporting her weight on her arm, the Lady looked around.

No one had heard her awaken, which was just as well. She had no intention of sharing her dream, not now. It always took place during a great war. They were in a time of peace.

Her terrified eyes settled on her handmaiden sleeping beside her. For a moment, with her dark hair being all Morgana could see as the girl was curled up facing away from her, she could have sworn it was Gwen at her side once more.

But it wasn't.

It was Adelaide.

Gwen was gone. Forever.

Even though she had been gone for so long now, it still felt like a new concept. Morgana wasn't sure she'd ever get used to it, nor did she want to get used to it. Had Gwen still been here, she'd have awoken when Morgana did, and she would have been hugging her and assuring her that everything was all right at that moment. She'd have liked that.

Morgana laid back down slowly to the earth beneath her and squeezed her eyes shut. Somehow, she'd find a way to save Merlin. He couldn't die. She couldn't lose another friend.

She wouldn't.

The dreams returned nearly instantly.

_Swords clashing._

_Blood spilling._

_Death._

_A king falling._

This time, she must have screamed or cried out, for when she jolted up, Arthur was at her side to catch her.

"Are you all right?" He asked worriedly.

She could only answer in tears and gulps of air. He held her close.

"Dream." She choked out between shudders.

They stayed there a long while, Arthur rocking her back and forth slowly while she calmed down.

* * *

"You're in a good mood," Arthur leaned against the tall, solid body of one of the many wooden occupants of the land, crossing his arms as he watched the young woman cheerily gathering berries.

The dark haired girl looked up at him with an innocent smile but a mischievous glint in her green eyes informed him that her smile was deceiving. "It is a beautiful day, sire." She stood up straight, holding the edge of her red apron to keep the dark berries nestled in the makeshift basket from spilling out.

He raised an eyebrow. The glee behind her eyes wasn't that of someone simply enjoying the weather. "You wouldn't happen to know why my manservant is acting rather oddly this morning, would you?"

She shrugged and turned her attention back to the fruit laden bush. "I would not, sire. Have you asked him yourself?" Although she turned her face down, the prince could see the smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. She knew very well.

"No, I haven't," Arthur replied, watching her intently. "Every time I try, he dodges the subject." He would also turn as red as the berries Adelaide was gathering, but he didn't voice this. The fair prince had an idea that she'd only enjoy it too much. "You're sure then?"

She held his stare and nodded. "Yes sire."

He watched her carefully as he left her. The servant girl went back to dutifully gathering the berries, but Arthur was sure he could hear faint giggling as he left.

* * *

Merlin sat on the edge of the babbling river, watching the ever flowing water go rushing by. So peaceful. So calm.

How could this place of serenity have caused such a terrible incident?

No, bad Merlin, he scolded himself. He had come here to sit and enjoy nature, to forget yesterday. Yesterday was gone, no more, to be forgotten indefinitely. Nothing mortifyingly embarrassing happened.

Too bad the rest of his mind refused this and kept playing the incident over and over.

As he cast a pebble into the river, one that he tried to skip across but it sunk without a single bounce, he contemplated using magic to wipe his memory. If it worked, there would be no more haunting memory. Merlin sighed. With his luck, he'd likely wind up erasing his entire memory, leaving nothing but a Merlin shell, a blathering idiot who knew how to do nothing but breath.

He snorted. Arthur would probably say there would be no change at all then. Or an improvement. Likely the latter. He flung another stone. Stupid Arthur.

"Merlin," Arthur called as he approached.

"It wouldn't be an improvement!" He defended himself quickly.

Arthur's brow creased in confusion as he sat next to his friend. "What?"

Right. Conversation happened in his head, not in reality. Nice going, Merlin. "Uh, nothing. Just talking to myself," Merlin stuttered quickly, forcing a smile. The prince didn't seem convinced, but the dark haired wizard refused to let on that he was mentally kicking himself.

"It's nice out here," Arthur stated.

Merlin grinned. "You hate it."

"More then anything." Arthur looked down at his boots and shifted his feet. "I think we should go back to Camelot."

Shaking his head, Merlin laughed in disbelief. "It's not that bad out here."

"It's not here," Arthur replied gravely, looking from the mud to the rushing waters. "Morgana thinks we should go back."

The smile faded from his servant's face. "You're listening to her? Not that I'm saying that's a bad thing… but you never listen to her."

"Maybe I should," he murmured to himself before clearing his throat. "I just have a feeling that she's right. Something doesn't seem right."

This wasn't a feeling that the wizard shared, which was unusual. Also unusual was the fact that Morgana hadn't told him about any worries of hers. No strange dreams, no 'I just know' moments… nothing. "No?"

Arthur looked concerned, genuinely concerned, as he shook his head. "I can't shake the feeling that she's right," he confessed distantly, his eyes watching something not too far off, but his friend couldn't make out what he was looking at. "That something's wrong."

"I'm sure everything's fine," Merlin told him with a small laugh, but the prince had him worried now too. It was probably nothing anyways. Then again, if Morgana had been the one with the warning… which meant she had probably dreamt it…

"We'll leave first thing tomorrow," The prince decided, raising his eyes to the ever sinking sun hanging in the sky. If they started out today, the group wouldn't get very far before they had to make camp again. Still, he couldn't shake the want to rush right back home to the castle.

When Merlin didn't answer, Arthur stood up and left wordlessly, trying to make sense of things once more. Maybe some time alone in the serenity of the woods would be what he needed to clear his head.

The dark haired boy heard Arthur leaving before he saw him. Looking up, he saw the prince make his way through the lush trees, unsure of where he was going. Watching him sadly, Merlin had a feeling that Arthur was unsure about more then just his literal path to take.

Taking a rather smooth stone into his hand, Merlin flung it across the surface of the water.

* * *

Restless night.

Arthur looked up at the night sky. Around him, everyone else slept quietly, leaving him alone to his haunting thoughts. Turning his eyes, he could see the back of Morgana's head, her long hair spilling to the ground beneath her. Normally he paid little attention to her warnings. Normally, he paid little attention to her. For some reason, both had changed. So here he was, alone to with his thoughts, waiting for morning.

Restless night.

Morgana laid on her side, her wide eyes watching the night around her carefully. She didn't dare sleep. Of course, she knew it'd creep up on her eventually, with the lullaby of night sounds ushering her back into a world of terror. The dreams would come. She knew they'd come. Maybe if she woke again, Arthur would be there… Somehow that made things better, even if her handmaiden didn't awake.

Restless night.

Adelaide lay quietly. No one else was awake, so she didn't dare move in fear of waking the prince or her lady. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she reflected back on the events that had happened. For some reason, she felt guilty. She didn't know why, she never felt guilty if she could help it. But here she was, being kept awake by feelings of guilt.

Restless nights.

Merlin watched the sky above. The stars shone brightly, creating a blanket of twinkling diamonds above their heads. He wished the others were awake to watch them with him. Sometimes, after days of confusion and mixed feelings, all one needed was to look to the sky to feel at peace.

For a little while, anyways.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait D: School and life and yeah. Nano starts next week, so it could be a bit longer, I'M SORRY ;.; But Jabey would love reviews, please? :D


	6. For Pants

_The rider was faceless with his armour obscuring his features. Only his eyes were visible through tiny slits in the metal. They were dark, and determined as he rode hard to approach his target._

_The sword came down, heavy and deadly._

_The pursued dropped to the ground from his horse with a heart stopping thud. Around him, many others were struck down as well. Satisfied, the rider looked around for his next and took off, leaving the man dying._

_Another rider approached the fallen warrior. Leaping from his horse, he reached the wounded man in a panic. Pulling the man into his arms, he pulled off the man's helmet. His dark hair fell limply with his head as his eyes shut._

Morgana gasped and sat up, trembles shaking her. Seeing that Merlin was asleep nearby, she shivered but tried to calm herself once more. It was a dream. It was still a dream. This was still a time of peace.

"Are you all right, my lady?" Adelaide whispered, the noise making Morgana jump. "I'm sorry," she apologized quickly.

Morgana forced a small laugh. "I'm sorry, Adelaide. I should not be so nervous."

"The dreams again?" The handmaiden asked, pushing herself into a sitting position. Although she knew of the dreams, Morgana had never told her any of the details. However, she knew that they must have been horrible from the fear that seemed permanently etched into her mistress's eyes. "Will you tell me of them? Perhaps it will help ease your mind."

Casting a glance back to the sleeping men, Morgana drew a deep breath. "You must swear not to breath a word of this to anyone."

Adelaide nodded. "Of course."

"I have such terrible dreams," the raven haired woman whimpered, seeing the images flash in front of her eyes. "Sometimes… sometimes I think they happen. They come true. Don't think I'm crazy…"

"I don't."

"I… in these dreams… someone, a dear friend… always winds up hurt." Tears spilled from her eyes as she clenched them shut. Once closed, all she could see was his pale face, tattooed with the pain and suffering he had seen. "It's the same thing every night. You don't know how it is to see a friend die every night."

Adelaide was quiet, but took her shaking lady into a hug, unsure of what else to do.

* * *

"Have you seen the girls?" Arthur asked as Merlin hooked a bundle to the saddle.

The dark haired man looked over his shoulder. "No."

The prince sighed exasperatedly and kicked at the ground, sending loose soil into the air. "Neither have I."

Merlin looked back to the rope he was securing. "They knew we were leaving, right?" When Arthur didn't answer, he turned his head. The prince had his hands on his hips and was looking away, obviously averting eye contact. "You didn't tell them."

"They still knew that we'd be moving on this morning," Arthur replied defensively, ignoring the look his friend was shooting him. "I didn't want to tell them we were going home last night because Adelaide would ask why, and Morgana would become upset." Merlin wasn't sure if he bought the excuse, but he nodded anyways and returned to his task. "No one would have slept then."

Merlin hadn't slept all that long the night before, and from the circles beneath the prince's eyes, Merlin guessed that the blonde hadn't either. Still, they must have slept long enough for the girls to disappear. "The river," Merlin announced suddenly, looking up again. "Adelaide loved the river. It opened up to a lake farther down."

Arthur nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

"I can't believe those two," Arthur grumbled, pushing a tree branch out of his way and letting it swing back freely behind him.

Merlin barely avoid taking the blow to his face, ducking and taking the force with his hand. "Maybe we should have left them at the castle," he suggested.

Arthur looked back. "Do you honestly think either of them would have stayed?"

This was true. "No, but it would have been worth a try," Merlin replied, dodging another branch that had whipped back. Had the girls stayed, he might have been spared an embarrassing situation.

"Well, I don't see them," Arthur announced, surveying the waters before him.

Merlin ducked beneath another branch and joined him on the sandy shore of the lake. "I don't see them either," he agreed, looking over the calm waters. His eyes settled on a tree on the other side. "Though…"

Arthur seemed to seen it too. "Is that Morgana's dress?"

"It's the one she was wearing yesterday," Merlin nodded. Her boots were set near the shore, as were another pair. Beside the green fabric on the branch hung a pale blue one of lesser quality. Floating on the surface of the waters was what could have been one of Adelaide's bandanas. "You don't think… they've…" he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

It took a moment for the prince to react. His eyes watched the rippling water with a sinking fear becoming apparent in his features. Suddenly, the prince sprang into action, kicking off his boots, throwing off his shirt and diving into the murky waters.

Merlin didn't hesitate in following. Taking a large gulp of air, he submerged himself into the waters, looking about anxiously for any signs of the girls. Nothing but plants and rocks from what he could see, but the water stung his eyes. When his lungs burned for air, he shot back to the surface.

"See anything?" Arthur asked as his servant gasped. The prince had surfaced just moments prior.

"No," Merlin choked back.

"Check the plants," Arthur advised, preparing to dive back down. "They could have gotten tangled."

Merlin nodded as his friend disappeared back beneath the water. Inhaling, he too dove back down.

The plants nearby dancing freely in the movement of the water, and showed no sign of either Morgana or Adelaide. The same went for the underwater vines further in.

He surfaced before Arthur this time. When the prince looked at him, all he could do was shake his head.

Another look yielded no results.

"I don't know where they could be," Merlin tried to keep his worry from his voice.

"Obviously not here," Arthur said, looking down the river emptying into the lake. "We should get out and continue looking."

Merlin nodded, but then realized. "My pants are gone."

Arthur turned, a smirk tugging at his mouth. "You've lost your pants?" Merlin looked away, trying not to let the red in his face show. "Now how did you not notice that."

Catching a sight on the shoreline, Merlin donned the smirk. "Sire…"

Arthur lowered his eyes to the water, his smirk dropping.

On the shore, hanging from the branch where the girl's dresses had been now hung two pairs of pants.

* * *

"It wasn't funny."

Morgana's grin encompassed her face. "I think it was. Don't you, Adelaide?"

"Oh yes, my lady," Adelaide beamed. Having her hair tied back with a slightly damp bandana didn't bother her. It was worth it.

Neither of the men were laughing.

"We thought you were hurt," Merlin sided with Arthur, encouraging his horse to ride faster so he could be beside the prince.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Morgana grinned in response.

"Besides that, are you two children?" Arthur snapped. "I mean really, stealing our pants?"

"We didn't steal them," Adelaide pointed out, gripping the reigns of her horse tightly. She had never been overly fond of horseback riding. "We hung them on a tree branch for the two of you to recover. And we left before you did so."

Only because Arthur would have wrung their necks, Merlin thought to himself.

"It still wasn't funny."

* * *

Under the starry night, the familiar gates drew into view. Everyone was tired, and rode on in silence.

That ended once they passed through the gates.

"The Prince has returned!"

Commotion surrounded them the moment they rode into the city. Guards were upon them, practically pulling Arthur off his horse in an effort to get him to hurry.

"What has happened?" He asked, bewildered by the sudden anxiety that hung in the air. Returning after nightfall, the four expected a quiet entry, and to announce their presence in the morning. However, it seemed that was not meant to be.

The guards looked from one to another.

"Well come on then!" Arthur pressed, his tone taking on that of an order. "Someone tell me! What is going on?"

"Sire," one of them began gravely, taking the responsibility of being the bearer of the news. "The king collapsed early this morning."

Morgana covered her mouth while Adelaide's hung open in shock. Merlin paled. Suddenly, stolen pants seemed rather trivial.

"Collapsed?" The blonde whispered in disbelief.

"He's dying, sire."


	7. To Be Afraid

Dying? No. No, he couldn't be. The raven haired beauty looked from the guard's sombre faces to Arthur's ashen one. This was a joke or a dream. The king couldn't die unless it was by her hand!

In a second, the prince had dismounted his horse. "Take me to him," Arthur whispered, trying to mask his emotion, but failing.

"I'll take the horses, sire," Merlin assured him, jumping down from his horse and taking the reins to both.

Meekly, the grieving prince gave him a small nod before waving the guards onwards. The figures disappeared into the darkness of the castle. The dark haired servant clicked his tongue and gently led the two animals back to their homes in the stables.

This couldn't be real; it wasn't fair! Gwen deserved to be avenged, and now her chance was slipping away on his own? Morgana raised her hand to her forehead. Suddenly, she felt dizzy. Sliding down from her horse, she pressed a hand against it's side to steady herself.

"My Lady, are you all right?" Adelaide inquired worriedly, dismounting her horse quickly to attend to her mistress.

Morgana waved her hand and laughed weakly. "I'm fine, Adelaide, I'm fine. I just feel ill, suddenly. The news of the king just… came as a shock." A shock indeed. How dare he die! "Can you take my horse…"

"Of course, my Lady. Go and lie down," the handmaiden instructed, taking the reins and leading the creatures over cautiously at arms length.

Morgana didn't watch her leave, but instead stood in one spot and trembled. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to hit and kick and act like a child. Inhaling the cool night air deeply, she attempted to get control of herself. Acting out would only raise suspicion, and possibly cause herself to do magic. That truly would be the last thing she needed.

No, now it was time for her to put on the mask of deception and pretend to be as distraught as the rest of the foolish people within the land.

Now, it was her time to wait.

* * *

"Whoa, whoa!" The girl tugged at the reins, trying to get the restless animals to calm down and obey. "We're right by the stables!" She pleaded, trying to keep control and her distance at the same time.

Merlin was about to close the door when he saw her coming. Rushing forwards, he grabbed the reins from her. "You have to be in control!" He lectured, settling the animals. "You can't be so far. They'll think you're afraid."

Adelaide said nothing. Instead, she dropped her eyes and felt her face burn.

If he noticed, Merlin didn't say anything. "Here, hold this one and I'll get the other settled and come back."

"Sure," Adelaide agreed, her stomach feeling like it wanted to empty all of its contents onto the ground before her. As Merlin took on set of reins and led the horse into the darkness of the stables, she looked nervously to the one beside her. "Behave," she warned lowly, trying to keep herself from shaking.

Stupid horses.

Remaining as still as she could, the green eyed girl peered into the black depths, hoping for a glimpse of the servant boy. What was taking so long? Shouldn't he have been back? How long did it take to put a horse away? Not this long, that was for certain. What if something had happened? No, surely nothing had happened. Merlin was far too gentle with the creatures for something to have happened. But what if it had? What if he'd been kicked by one of the treacherous animals and was unconscious? Or worse? What if…

"All right, now the last one," Merlin's voice echoed in the building as he made his way out.

Adelaide breathed a long sigh of relief. "I hate you and your kind," she whispered to the horse.

Merlin approached and gave her a warm smile. "See? They're harmless." He took the reins and began to walk towards the stables. When he noticed that she didn't follow, he looked over his shoulder. "Come on."

"No." Adelaide remained frozen in spot.

Merlin furrowed his brow, but didn't push the subject. When he came back out and shut the gate, he was surprised to see that she had waited.

For a moment, they stood there awkwardly. "Thank you," she finally muttered, feeling somewhat ashamed for not having been able to manage on her own.

"Anytime," he smiled back, but it dropped quickly. "Are… are you really afraid of them?" He asked curiously, studying her face.

The girl looked away, but nodded.

Merlin gave her a half smile and managed a bit of a laugh. "Come on, beautiful girls shouldn't be afraid of beautiful creatures." Adelaide looked back at him suddenly, but Merlin had already turned his face away and was looking towards the castle. "I should go see if Arthur needs me. I'll see you later."

Merlin had set off on a light jog towards a doorway, but Adelaide remained glued to her spot. "Merlin," she called, and he turned. "Thanks," she told him softly, a strange expression on her face.

The young man didn't understand, but nodded before darting inside.

For a long while, Adelaide stayed where she was, unsure of how to feel, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

* * *

"He's sleeping, Arthur," Gaius told the young prince gently, "He gets very little peaceful rest. I wouldn't advise waking him."

Arthur paced back and forth, wiping his mouth with his hand. "How long has he?" He finally managed to ask, stopping and looking at the wise physician.

The elder bowed his head. "Not long, I'm afraid, sire."

Arthur resumed a troubled pacing. "What am I to do, Gaius?" He asked, and Gaius took a step forwards. It had been so long since he had thought of Arthur as a child, but now the young man before him once more resembled a frightened one.

Placing a firm but consoling hand on the Prince's shoulder, Gaius looked up at the young man. He wanted to say that everything would be all right, that the king would soon recover. Yet, both would know it was a lie if he did. "Hope for the best," Gaius instructed, "but prepare for the worst."

* * *

A/N: Short update, but at least it's an update, right?

EDIT: Reuploaded. apparently all of my spacers were deleted? I apologize D:


	8. For Things To Change

Looking out at the kingdom from his spot on the bridge, the young man sighed. The beautiful lands stretched on for miles before him, and it felt strange to think that only a matter of hours ago he had been riding through them.

Now? Now, everything was going to change, and possibly sooner than anyone could have ever imagined.

When he had seen his friend, there had been a strange look in those young eyes, as if they had foreseen this. Wandering around the castle, he noticed that many of the faces held the same, grim look in their eyes. How had he never noticed it before? It didn't make sense to him.

Then again, many things about the situation didn't make sense to him. He hated it, the cloud of confusion that wouldn't leave his mind in peace. Wasn't he supposed to be wise? Wasn't he supposed to protect? How could he do so if nothing was clear? When was this wisdom to arrive anyways? Would he wake up one morning, and sure as the sun would rise, so he would have an understanding of things?

Well, he could hope.

"How is Arthur doing?" The handmaiden asked worriedly, approaching the warlock from behind.

Raising his chin from his hand, Merlin turned his head to see her. "Better," he answered, his tone not quite matching his words. "I think the shock of it all has begun to wear off. Not just for him, but for many of us."

Adelaide nodded distantly as she took the spot by his side. "We all knew this day would come," she stated, looking out blankly.

"I know." Merlin clenched his fist as the emotions he had been sorting out surged through his body like fire in his veins. "He should have told Arthur!"

He expected the feisty handmaiden to instantly agree, but she was instead quiet. "We say that now, Merlin," she started slowly as if still piecing together her thoughts within her head, "but what if we were in his position?" She looked up at him with a curious expression upon her features. "Would you be able to tell your only son that you were dying?"

"Well," he started to reply, but Adelaide continued on.

"Arthur never knew his mother. Uther is the only family he has, and it's the same for Uther. Uther wants to know that his son be all right once he is gone. That's why he wanted Arthur married before he died. In his mind, a wife is the logical answer because his wife meant everything to him," she explained.

"I suppose," Merlin muttered, still angry with the king. In his mind, he couldn't justify the king's actions.

"Would you ride out to look for a bride while you knew that your mother was dying?" Adelaide inquired, remembering from conversations they had how much Merlin's mother meant to him.

That question didn't require thought. "No." He sighed heavily. "Arthur should still have been told."

"I agree, but at least now you understand why he wasn't." She was quiet. "Then again, if I were in such a position, I don't think I'd have told him either. I'm not sure who I would have told."

The last thing he had expected was for her to entirely side with the ailing king. "Why?" Merlin asked curiously.

She shrugged, holding her arms close to her body and leaning against the stones with her elbows. "I wouldn't want to burden anyone with the news I suppose. Especially if I had children."

"Would you tell me?" Merlin asked.

"Of c…" She stopped and mulled a moment. "No. No I wouldn't."

"What?" He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. "Why not?"

"You'd treat me differently if you were aware that I was dying. I don't want things to change with us," she answered, looking back over the bridge. "I would want things to stay as they are."

"Sometimes, you think too much," Merlin teased. "Other times, you don't think enough."

She chuckled and allowed the smile to stay. Perhaps it was true. "Some things don't require thought." Adelaide looked up at him.

"No?" He leaned down on the bridge out of instinct, dipping his head closer to her height.

"No." She leaned in as he did, and their lips met softly before either of them could fully register what was happening. Once they did, Merlin pulled back.

"I-I'm sorry," Merlin stuttered as both of them flushed.

She shushed him, pressed a finger against his mouth and grinned sheepishly. "Maybe I'm not the only one who thinks too much." Lowering her hand to the cool stone of the wall, she looked out over the bridge.

Merlin did too.

"Maybe some things weren't meant to stay the same," he observed, and she silently agreed.

Somehow, they wound up with their fingers entwined with one anothers. Neither realized when or how, but neither minded.

* * *

Standing with his back to the room, Arthur held his hands locked behind him and looked out through the window.

"They're saying goodbye," he stated as Morgana approached him. The dark haired woman was impressed; she hadn't thought that he had heard her nearing. His senses were sharp, but then, she supposed they had to be. Especially these days, with him as the only heir to the throne and the possibility of his rule beginning at any time hovering above his heads.

Turning her eyes down, Morgana looked through the glass to take in the same sight as the prince. Below in the courtyard that had been darkened by night's shadow, hundreds of people had gathered. The two watching from above could only tell this by the tiny flickering flames of lit candles.

Candles to honour the passing king. How had the message spread so quickly?

"They did this for you too," Morgana pointed out, touching his shoulder gently. "You recovered."

The Prince didn't move or respond to her gesture in the slightest. "Gaius said that he doesn't have long," Arthur replied finally, his tone unchanged.

"Gaius said that about you too."

"Gaius is right, Morgana, I know it." He took a deep breath, and she noticed that he trembled ever so slightly. "I am to be king soon."

Of this, Morgana was glad but she did not show it outwardly. "Are you scared?" She asked softly.

"No," he answered stubbornly, but they both knew differently. She could read him as easily as a book spread open on a table. Arthur raised his eyes and looked to her. In her eyes, he could see that his mask had failed. "Yes," he admitted with a slight nod,."but if I am to be king, the people need a strong leader, not a coward. No one must know."

"I won't tell a soul," she vowed. Lowering her hand hand, she touched the red fabric of his sleeve. She nearly linked her arm with his, but instead resisted and melted the attempt into a consoling touch. "You will be twice the king your father was. You have a good heart."

Taking her hand from his arm, he enclosed it between both of his. Arthur was silent, but the gesture had said more than any of his words could.

* * *

A/N: I totally have my groove back with this story! I remebered where I wanted it to go :D And the sequel on top of that! Read and Review? Please? :D I asked nicely.


	9. To Be Warned

_Adelaide stood breathlessly at the bridge, overlooking the troops returning from battle._

_Her eyes frantically searched the crowd for one face in particular. Yet, she didn't find him among the faces of the living._

_Marching behind, some men brought the carts that carried the dead._

_The young woman sobbed. _

Morgana gasped and clutched at her blankets as she sat up. It took her a moment to remember her whereabouts. The castle. She was back at the castle, as she had been for the past week. She was safe behind the thick stone walls, secure beneath the warmth of the royal blankets that draped her.

But would she stay that way?

Her dreams constantly pointed towards a time of war. But why? And when? There were so many unanswered questions that plagued her mind. Why should she be tormented night after night with visions of the future if they could explain nothing to her?

She shook her head. It had to be further in the future. Her handmaiden had looked... different somehow, and to her knowledge Adelaide wasn't connected to any man. How would she have someone to mourn with the tears of a lover?

A soft, distant melodious hum filled the hall leading to Morgana's room. The door creaked open, and she could hear it clearer. A flickering candle flame illuminated the face of the girl who walked in, a faint smile curving her lips.

"Been up to something, Adelaide?" Morgana asked, startling the young woman and making her jump.

"My lady, I was just coming to check on you," Adelaide stammered quickly, turning towards the bed. "I wondered if perhaps you had more dreams and needed your sleeping draught?"

"No, no dreams," the other young woman lied with a laugh. "Adelaide, you have the look of mischief upon your face," the handmaiden ducked her eyes away, "and I am curious to know what has happened."

As if checking to be sure no one else was around, Adelaide quickly looked about the room before seating herself on the edge of the bed. "Oh my Lady, please don't breathe a word of this to anyone. The king is so ill, I feel it's wrong for me to be so happy."

"You have my confidence," Morgana assured her.

"Well," Adelaide grinned and in the dim light, Morgana could faintly make out that her handmaiden was blushing, "I believe I may fancy someone." Holding the candle securely in one hand, she leaned in closer. "We were talking, and he kissed me, but I think I kissed him as well," she beamed breathlessly with a nervous giggle. It was all so unlike her; Morgana couldn't help but smile at her servant's excitement.

"Well come on," the raven haired lady prodded impatiently, "tell me his name!"

Adelaide laughed as though she were surprised at herself. "You will laugh. Of all the boys in the kingdom, I fell for the possibly the biggest, bumbling clod of all. Yet... he's likely the sweetest soul in all the kingdom."

"That's very sweet," Morgana smirked, "but what's his name?"

Adelaide shook her head in amusement. "Merlin! Can you believe it?"

For a split second, Morgana's smile dropped.

* * *

The fire twirled around at his will, dancing into the shapes he desired. Funny how something he so loved to do wasn't bringing him any joy, or even the slightest feelings of amusement. So much plagued the warlock's mind.

The dragon that had spawned from the flames began to morph into the face of a young woman.

Merlin sighed.

* * *

"Arthur," the king's weary voice broke the silence of the room. His son looked up.

"Father, you need to rest," Arthur tried to keep an air of strength, but his voice wavered.

"I have been resting," Uther responded with a tinge of annoyance in his voice, something the prince was glad to hear. At least his father still had his spirit. "Soon I will be doing nothing but resting for the remainder of time."

Arthur didn't want to hear this. "Father..."

"You know it as well as I, Arthur," Uther told him sternly. "It's time for both of us to accept it."

Arthur bowed his head and said nothing. The fading king couldn't help but smile sadly. As different as he and his son were, they were also so alike. Arthur had his mother's golden hair and loving heart, but he had his father's stubborn pride. The king was proud; so proud.

"When I go," Uther began, and his son kept his eyes down. This wasn't what he wanted to hear, but it was something the young man needed to hear. "Other kingdoms are likely to attack. You are young, Arthur. They will see Camelot as an easy target."

"They are wrong!" Arthur declared.

"I know that, but they do not. You must be prepared," Uther warned grimly.

"I will not let Camelot fall," the prince swore. "I will give my life before that happens."

The only way Camelot would fall were if Arthur died, Uther was sure of it.

* * *

Merlin knocked on the wood of the door as he entered the room. His friend was leaning against the windowsill, staring blankly out through the glass. The servant knocked again, a little harder this time.

"I heard you the first time," Arthur told him, not looking away.

Well, nice of him to let on to that fact. "I've brought your breakfast, sire," Merlin told him, holding the silver tray firmly in his hands.

Waving aimlessly to the table, the prince kept his gaze. "Just put it over there. I'm not very hungry at the moment."

Usually, Merlin would argue, but he knew the feeling of thinking you were losing the only parent you had known. It was terrible, more than enough to remove one's appetite. Setting the tray down gently, he debated whether or not he should leave the room.

"Merlin," Arthur started, and the servant looked up. Well, this made his decision for him. "I saw you last night."

Merlin could have sworn his heart stopped beating within his chest. "What do you mean, sire?"

Arthur crossed his arms and turned to his servant. "I'm not in the mood for games, Merlin. How long has this been going on?"

The warlock's stomach sank. He should have been careful, far more careful. Hadn't he learned his lesson yet? "I... well... a bit, I suppose."

"You should have told me sooner," the blonde young man said sternly, and it was hard for Merlin to fully read into the tone. Disappointment? Anger?

"I... I didn't mean for you to find out that way," Merlin stammered, turning his eyes down. After the years of keeping his magic secret, and Arthur finds out this way. He would have found out eventually, but the dark haired young man had planned on telling his friend.

"I would not have pictured you two together," Arthur stated, and Merlin looked up. Wait, this wasn't about the magic?

"I... me either," Merlin laughed, mostly from relief.

"Do you fancy her greatly, Merlin?" Arthur looked overcome by a strange blankness, one his friend guessed was a result of all the emotions flooding him. Yet, his eyes held a strange pain mingled with curiosity.

The wizard contemplated this. How did he feel about Adelaide? "Yes," he finally answered. "I suppose I do."

"I won't stop you," The prince's voice had gone a bit softer, "but see that it doesn't interfere with your duties," he advised.

Merlin nodded, the relief still flooding through his veins. "Yes, sire." The prince nodded, content with this answer.

As his heart was racing wildly from the near revelation, Merlin took the chance to slip quietly out the door. There were other things he could do around the castle, and Arthur looked as though he needed some time to himself. Outside the door, Merlin gasped and laughed weakly. He would have to be more careful until it was time to reveal himself.

He had a sinking feeling that the time was sooner than he wanted.

* * *

A/N: Lack of reviews makes Jabey sad. T-T So very sad. Do you all hate this story? D: I am such a feedback junkie. Like the idea of Merlin/Adelaide? Let me know! Hate the idea of Merlin/Adelaide? Let me know! Have a scene suggestion? Let me know! Heck, the pants scene was suggested by a couple friends of mine (granted, the scene didn't end _quite_ how they were expecting). But, I still must thank my loyal readers, even if you are the silent type :D Seeing the amount of reads does brighten my day. Thank you all! :D


	10. For The Time To Come

"Merlin, you haven't touched your food," Gaius noted disapprovingly, watching the young man as he cleaned a jar.

The wizard looked up, then down at his food dimly. "Oh," he said as though he hadn't noticed. "I guess I'm just not hungry."

Setting the jar down on the wooden table before him, the older man watched as Merlin drifted back off into the retreats of his mind. He frowned; he knew that look all too well.

"Merlin," he started, and the young man looked up at him, "what's on your mind?" Merlin dropped his eyes to the table. "You're old enough that I shouldn't have to coax you. I know something isn't right." He turned his head and Merlin crossed his arms. "Now what is it?"

Pondering over his words, Merlin bit at his lip. "Is there anything that can be done for the king? A spell or..." He stopped as Gaius shook his head.

"No, Merlin," Gaius told him sadly, "there is nothing. It is his time."

"But does it have to be?" Gaius had always admired the boy's – though no longer a boy - heart. Though still coated with the naivety of youth, it was pure in intentions. "Surely there is a healing spell, or something that will make him well again," Merlin pleaded.

Pulling out a chair, the physician sat down across from the distressed wizard. "No, Merlin, I'm afraid not."

"But Arthur's not ready!" Merlin argued.

"Arthur will surprise you," Gaius stated as the dark haired man slumped back against the chair.

"That's not what I mean," Merlin shook his head. "I've lost my father, Gaius. I barely knew him, and it hurt like nothing I'd felt before."

The elder nodded. "It won't be easy, and Arthur will need support from his friends, especially you. It's Uther's time to leave, just as it's Arthur's time to be king." Merlin nodded glumly. "Just as it will be your time." His blue eyes turned up. "Be prepared, Merlin. I fear dark times are coming, and you will be needed."

* * *

"I will have to find a queen," Arthur stated, leaning on the cold, stone bridge and looking out over the land. It was soon to be his land. The sun crawled up from its slumber, making its way to the sky. Arthur couldn't help but wonder if the land would be his by the time the sun returned to sleep.

Morgana looked at him in confusion and displeasure. Hadn't he been the one only days ago who was adamant not to marry? "Your father is dying. How can you be thinking about that now?"

"How can I not?" He asked in return. "A queen is needed for a land just as much as a king."

"Your father has been without a queen for many years," she pointed out, feeling somewhat scorned.

"And there were decisions he made that neither you nor I agreed with. If he had my mother with him, things might have been different." Arthur looked over to her, and Morgana turned her eyes down. This was true. "Lives might have been saved."

Such as Guinevere.

"So, when are you going to go off in search of your princess?" Morgana couldn't help the ice that slipped into her voice.

Arthur laughed softly. "Why would I want a useless princess when there's already a beautiful lady capable of everything a queen should be here in Camelot?" She looked up. His eyes had settled on her, a sudden softness overtaking them. "So what do you say, Morgana?"

It wasn't the most romantic proposal, but these weren't romantic times. Still, her heart raced. She placed her hand on his. "Yes."

Looking down at her ivory hand, Arthur swallowed before speaking. "I'm sorry that we won't have any time to court properly."

Morgnana laughed. "Arthur, I've spent most of my life with you already. What could a few months of courting tell me that I didn't already know?"

The prince managed another small laugh. "I'm sure there are things you have yet to learn."

"Let's see," she said playfully, pretending to think. "You snore when you're asleep; you're a prat when you don't get your way, you hate losing at sparring, I can beat you at sparring," to this, Arthur snorted, "you're stubborn and proud, a terrible liar, an even worse cook..."

"Morgana..."

"And you're everything this kingdom needs."

"I hope to be," he replied quietly, taking her hand and entwining their fingers. "Thank you."

* * *

As the day drew on, the feeling of gloom thickened. Merlin couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was to happen that day; it surged through him as though it had joined with his blood. Both Gaius and Arthur had been summoned to Uther's bedside, but they had the day before as well. Was today to be the day?

Whether it was or not, Merlin wasn't sure how anyone could be expected to complete their chores. The servants and the kitchen had little energy about them, as did various other servants about the castle. When he had seen her, Adelaide looked as though she were stumbling around in a fog. Though, she had brightened a bit once she caught sight of him. He had to admit, he had brightened somewhat too.

He would fancy someone as the king was dying and a period of mourning soon to begin.

In a way, he felt sorry for Uther. Few people were going to miss him. They would miss his leadership as Camelot had prospered and been kept safe under his rule, but they wouldn't actually miss _him._ He wasn't sure that he would, and he knew that Morgana certainly wouldn't. She'd never forgive him for the death of Gwen. While he wasn't by any means happy about Gwen's death, Merlin couldn't help but wonder if it happened as it was supposed to.

Fate was funny in that way.

Sitting on the chair and looking about the prince's room, Merlin couldn't help but manage a half smile. Around him, rags scrubbed at the floor, removing any dirt diligently. Magic didn't know gloom unless he wanted it to.

Maybe Gaius had been right; maybe there really was a time for everything, and things would work out as they were supposed to. Maybe things were laid out, and they were just following along as they were supposed to.

A gasp came from the door, followed by the clatter and shattering of a ceramic on the floor.

Merlin turned to see a wide-eyed Adelaide looking at the rags on the floor. She raised her eyes to him as he willed the moving cleaning supplies to stop.

No one was supposed to have come to Arthur's room. No one ever did. Especially her.

His was sure his heart had stopped, and his lungs had lost the ability to take in air.

"Adelaide," he started, but she turned and fled.

Well, this was a bad day.

* * *

"Father," Arthur said softly, looking at the still face. The king stared blankly up at the ceiling, his raspy breath seeming to catch in his throat. Arthur looked over at the physician worriedly, but the physician only bowed his head. The blonde prince looked back to his father. Arthur swallowed and tried to fight back his tears.

It was time.

With one last, heavy sigh, the king grew very still.

Arthur took his father's hand in one of his own shaking ones and pressed it to his forehead. The skin grew cold against his own warmth. Closing his eyes, his features collapsed into his grief.

Quietly, Gaius slipped from the room as the new king wept.


	11. To Fight

"Is something troubling you, Adelaide?" Morgana asked as she watched her handmaiden through the mirror as the servant girl brushed her long, black hair. "You look distressed."

Adelaide's green eyes darted up. "The... the king is dead!" She stammered as she dropped her eyes back down to her work. "It is his burial today. We are to mourn."

Morgana raised an eyebrow. "Yes, and I shall in public. Here, in my quarters with only you and me, I see no reason for charades." Her servant kept her eyes down. "You are aware of my feelings for the deceased king. You are not grieving either."

"I did not know him well enough to grieve," Adelaide admitted.

"So what is on your mind?" The handmaiden said nothing. "Adelaide, you can talk to me."

She sighed, and raised her eyes. "I recently learned something... troubling... about someone... I used to know," she said plainly. It was true. She had thought that she'd known Merlin. Now, she wasn't sure anyone had really known him. "I'm not sure how to react."

"What did you learn?" The raven haired young woman asked curiously. "Come on," she egged with a grin. "Tell me, and I'll tell you a secret of my own. It won't be a secret much longer, but you can be the first to know."

Adelaide shifted on her feet as she considered this. This worried Morgana; Adelaide would talk about anything regarding someone else, and always gave her candid opinion.

"Word reached me that someone I knew is not quite the person I had believed," she spoke carefully. She wasn't sure exactly why she hadn't told Morgana what she had seen; perhaps part of her was still hoping for a good explanation. "He could be potentially dangerous."

"He?" Morgana turned, and Adelaide held the brush close to her chest. "Was he a love interest?"

"Once." Adelaide hoped her face didn't give away more.

However, this seemed to satisfy the Lady. She turned back again, allowing her servant to continue.

"You never can predict people, even those you had known for years," Morgana replied bitterly. "Sometimes they do what you had never thought possible."

Adelaide nodded, and forced a smile. "Your turn. What is the secret?"

Morgana beamed and blushed. "Arthur asked for my hand in marriage. We're to be wed a few days after the burial!"

The girl behind her snorted. "I thought you said it was a secret? Everyone knows you two were going to marry, we just didn't know when." She set down the blush and picked a fastening from the table beside her. "It's obvious you have fancied him for a while."

"Not to Arthur," she muttered back, and Adelaide smirked.

"Men are rather oblivious, my Lady."

* * *

"How are you doing?" Merlin asked, holding open a jacket for Arthur to put on.

"I just lost my father; how do you think I'm doing?" Arthur snapped back as he slid his arms in, and Merlin withdrew afterwards. "I... I'm sorry," he apologized quietly, adjusting his red dark jacket in the mirror.

"I understand," the dark haired man replied with a nod.

"I doubt that," Arthur said lowly.

Merlin raised his head. "I've lost my father too."

"What?" The grieving man turned his head and looked at him curiously. "I thought you didn't know your father?"

The wizard bit his tongue. He shouldn't have said anything, but he hadn't wanted to put up with his friend thinking he didn't know what this was like. "I didn't, not until a couple years back," Merlin replied quietly. "He died shortly after we met."

The blonde man grew quiet himself. "I'm sorry."

"Me too," his servant whispered. "For both of us," he added, a little louder.

"How... how are you doing, Merlin? You seem distracted," Arthur pointed out, his tone gentler than it had been. As he fixed his sleeves, he looked himself in the eyes. Today, he had to look presentable. It would be his first time in public since he returned from the trip. How could one look presentable when they were grieving so deeply?

"I... everything that happened's been a bit overwhelming," he replied, wishing he could tell Arthur what had really happened, the event his mind was really stuck on, why he was distracted. It wasn't on the king, though it should have been.

Instead, he was sick to his stomach. Would Adelaide know to hold her tongue, or would she talk about what she had seen? He couldn't shake the look on her face from his mind. She had looked utterly terrified. Surely that meant she had been raised thinking magic was a bad thing.

"You're telling me. Everything seems so surreal, as though it is a nightmare. It is one thing to know your destiny... it is another for it to begin." Merlin couldn't have agreed more as he draped the cape around his friend and fastened it in the front. After fixing it so it was not too tight around his neck, Arthur looked himself over. "What do you think?"

"I think you're forgetting something," Merlin replied, fetching the object and bringing it back to the blonde young man.

Arthur extended his hand and touched it with shaking fingers. "Yes. I was." Taking it gingerly, he slowly lowered it over his head.

His father's crown, now his. So familiar, yet it looked so foreign to him upon on his head.

He had to fight the tears that stung at his eyes. Swallowing, he raised his head proudly.

"It looks right," Merlin commented, pretending not to notice the tears his friend was wiping away, "as though it's always meant to be there." He put his hand to his chest and bowed. "My King."

Arthur looked from his servant back to the mirror. No longer Prince. The man in the reflection was no longer the boy who took orders and made sure they were followed through correctly. Now, he gave the orders. He was king.

King Arthur.

The golden crown on his head was heavier on his shoulders.

He nodded to Merlin. "Let us go. The proceedings will begin soon."

* * *

The crowd gathered was silent except for the man leading the ceremony. Arthur, surrounded by his knights and Merlin at his side, kept his eyes lowered to the grave. His face showed little emotion, but two people knew what lay behind his mask.

Across the grave, Morgana pulled her veil over her face. Everyone thought it was to conceal her tears, but really, she hid her smirk. Perhaps it wasn't by her hand, but the king was dead, and Arthur now ruled the land. Dressed in formal ceremonial attire as all the servants of Camelot were, Adelaide stood at her side.

Merlin raised his eyes, and for a brief moment made contact with the green eyed girl across from him. His eyes pleaded, but a bitter coldness mingled with fear was returned. She quickly dropped her eyes and bowed her head. Others took this for a sign of respect, but the young man knew the truth; she was cutting off contact.

He too bowed his head.

* * *

"My lords," Arthur addressed the gathered crowd in his strongest voice, "I have called this meeting to announce something of great importance."

Merlin stood nearby with his hands folded in front of him. His blue eyes watched the dark haired girl who stood dutifully by her mistress. Two days past the funeral, and still she would not speak to him. If she saw him in the halls, she would turn and go another way.

He was beginning to realize what it had been like for her during her first few days at Camelot.

"Tomorrow morning, I will be wed to the lovely Lady Morgana," Arthur extended his hand, which his future bride took daintily. She smiled at the crowd, who had begun to talk amongst themselves. "I know it is soon after my father's passing, but this is something he wanted, and would be pleased with."

"Long live the king," many chanted together dutifully. "Hail King Arthur!"

"She will be crowned Queen of Camelot at that time," he continued.

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the crowd. As the people filtered from the room, Morgana's smile slowly dropped as she reflected on the new king's words. "Adelaide," she said sweetly, smiling at her maid, "would you see that my dress is ready for tomorrow?"

Adelaide looked at her mistress and the king, and raised an eyebrow. The raven haired queen-to-be already knew that her dress was ready. "Yes, my lady," she echoed back just as sweetly and falsely as the orders given to her. It didn't matter, she was happy to be out of the same room as _him. _ Being so close to him made her stomach uneasy and made her shiver. Curtseying quickly, she left as fast as she could.

"Merlin, go see that my room is clean." He may have been king, but the orders hadn't changed. "I think there may have been a rat loose again."

The dark haired servant could take a hint. "Yes, sire." He bowed before leaving too.

Only once the two were truly alone did Morgana's smile disappear to be replaced with a expression of hurt and fury. "Is that the only reason you're marrying me?" She asked, trying to keep her voice down. The guards had no need to hear details. Arthur turned and walked towards the chairs at the head of the room. "Because your father wanted you to wed?" When Arthur didn't answer, she laughed coldly. "You didn't have time to look for someone else, so you settled for what was here."

He collapsed in the throne and rubbed his temple. "Morgana, that's not true."

"Oh isn't it?" She shook her head in disgust. "Here I believed you cared for me. Now I see that I was deceived."

"Morgana," he looked up at her, his tone silencing her for the moment. "I do care for you. Very much. You know this."

"As a lover or as a friend?" She asked back frigidly.

"I shouldn't have to answer that."

"But you do!" She tried to hold her voice steady, but she feared that it wavered some as her husband-to-be rose suddenly.

"As a lover," Arthur answered firmly. "Enough of this nonsense, Morgana!"

"Is it nonsense?" She questioned. "Because I recall only mere weeks ago that you were willing to ride out to find a bride! I never even crossed your mind!"

"That's not true!" He argued, but she continued on.

"Where as you barely left my mind!" Tears stung at her eyes, but she ignored them. "Such a fool I was, thinking you might be the same. This is just to satisfy your father's ghost."

"Enough!" He bellowed, but she kept her hot gaze fixed on him. "These are all false, Morgana! I never planned to go out to find a bride. Why do you think I never told you of what the trip was supposed to be for? I couldn't tell you!" His chest heaved from the short breaths anger demanded.

She stood very still. "You never kissed me."

"What?" He asked breathlessly.

"You have never kissed me," Morgana repeated quietly.

He looked at her for a moment, recuperating from the quarrel. Suddenly, he leaned in and took her mouth in his. "Better?" He asked once they had pulled apart.

She shook her head. "I don't want you to kiss me because you feel you have to, but because you want to." With questioning eyes, she stared into his piercingly. "Do you want to? Or is it duty that makes you need to?"

Lowering his head once again, he took pressed her scarlet lips to his, gentler this time.

"I want to," he answered, running his hand down her cheek softly, catching the tears that dropped out. They embraced; Arthur holding her with one arm, stroking her head with the other, and Morgana crying softly into his chest.


	12. For Bitterness

"Today is the wedding, Merlin. Why do you look like it's another funeral?" Arthur asked, securing his cape around his neck. The servant said nothing, but continued folding the blanket on the bed. "I suspect this will be you in a few months."

"Unlikely."

Arthur raised his eyes and turned them questioningly to his manservant who avoided his gaze. "Why not?"

"You need to have a girl to get married," Merlin responded as he fixed the pillows.

"Weren't you and Morgana's handmaiden..."

"I thought so," Merlin cut off the king, unable to stop the bitterness from slipping into his voice.

Arthur crossed his arms. "What happened?" Merlin didn't answer, but kept his eyes down and readjusted a pillow he'd already fixed. "I'll have you thrown in the stocks if you don't answer." Merlin looked up and smirked. "I'm serious. You're not answering your king. That could be considered a crime."

Chuckling half heartedly, Merlin looked back down to his task. "She... misunderstood a situation and now she won't let me explain myself. She won't speak to me at all."

"What could be that bad?" Arthur couldn't help but ask.

Merlin's mind raced. "I think..." He swallowed. What was better than the truth? "I think she thought I was using magic."

Arthur looked at him with a stone hard gaze before cracking into laughter of disbelief. "You? Using magic?"

Oh if only he knew. "I know. The thought is insane."

"You do of course know what this means, don't you?" Arthur asked plainly, and Merlin looked back. "You're going to have to talk to her." The dark haired man opened his mouth to speak, but the King wasn't finished. "I will not have fighting amongst my servants at the castle. That's an order."

Merlin grinned. "Yes, sire." How could he disobey an order from the King?

* * *

The bride and groom stood at the front of the room. Arthur was dressed in his ceremonial attire, filling the room with a presence that demanded their respect. However, it was Morgana, dressed in a white that seemed to blend with the ivory of her skin and made her raven hair appear much darker that held everyone's attention.

Arthur thought she looked beautiful, and he made a note to himself to tell her so later.

"My Lords, ladies and gentlemen of Camelot. We are gathered here today to celebrate by the ancient right of hand fastening, union of Arthur Pendragon and Lady Morgana."

Morgana looked up into Arthur's eyes. They were firm, and still somehow sad, yet they held a gentleness to them as well. Typical Arthur. Even on their wedding day, he couldn't allow himself to be completely open about his emotions.

She found herself doubting his true intentions behind marrying her.

"Is it your wish, Arthur, to become one with this woman?"

Arthur nodded. "It is."

"Is it your wish, Morgana, to become one with this man?"

Looking at the man leading the ceremony, and opening her mouth, she felt her throat go dry and no words came. Swallowing, she looked back to Arthur and smiled. "It is."

"Do any say nay?"

Both the bride and groom looked around the room, but the gathered crowd remained silent.

Merlin had to choke back a laugh. If anyone had wanted to protest, the piercing gaze the king sent would have silenced them instantly.

Adelaide folded her hands under her chin. There was a hint of a pained look on her Lady's face, as though she had wanted someone to protest to the marriage and stop it altogether. She ducked her eyes down; there was nothing she could do.

The couple held each other's hands tightly as a vine was wrapped around, tying them to one another. "With this garland, I do tie a knot, and by doing so bind your hands and your hearts for all eternity."

Eternity.

"I, Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot, I shall not seek to change thee in any way. I shall respect thee as I respect myself."

Merlin smiled to himself, watching his friends as they spoke their vows. It was good to see them happy together. The two had danced around their feelings for far too long.

Adelaide watched as Morgana spoke her vows in return, and the servant couldn't help but wonder if she was the only one to hear the reluctance in the bride's voice.

"I now pronounce you to be husband and wife."

All the people gathered applauded when the newlyweds locked their lips; Merlin clapped the hardest, Adelaide the softest.

The ceremony continued as the applause subsided.

"Now we will bear witness to the naming of Queen Morgana as the rightful heir to Camelot. Are you willing to take the oath?"

Morgana knelt in front of her throne and put on her bravest face. "I am."

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of Camelot, to uphold the laws and customs of the land?"

"I do." She might have been unsure about her marriage to Arthur, but Camelot was her home. The people were her people.

"Will you to your power cause law and justice in mercy to be executed in all your judgements?"

"I will."

"Will you, to the utmost of your powers, maintain the laws and customs of the land, and serve the people of Camelot?"

"I will."

The pillow bearing the crown was brought forwards. Taking the crown, the man approached her and placed it gently on her head. "Arise, Queen Morgana of Camelot." She stood, and Arthur took her arm. He looked down at her and smiled.

"Hello, my Queen," he greeted her.

She smiled back. At least it wouldn't be an unbearable marriage, even if he had only married her out of his feelings of duty. "Hello my King."

The King turned to the crowd of people. "I hope you will all join us for a banquet to celebrate this evening." His eyes settled on the handmaiden who looked as though her mind were elsewhere. "It will be an evening to remember."

* * *

"I won't say anything," Morgana stated as she ran a brush through her long hair.

Arthur looked up from the table where he had been reading over a letter delivered earlier in the day, "What?"

"You only married me out of your sense of duty, and don't try to deny otherwise Arthur," she looked over at him with a threatening gaze, making him shut his mouth. "I can read you as well as the words you're reading before you."

"Morgana..."

"No, it's all right," she cut him off, rising to her feet. "I understand, Arthur. As you said, Camelot needed a queen. You did it for Camelot, not because you loved me," as she loved him, but she still had her pride. She wouldn't tell him that. "I have a duty to Camelot as well. Just don't be expecting any _favours._" She swallowed and gathered herself together. "I need to find Adelaide and prepare for tonight."

There was nothing more to say for either of them, so she walked from the room. Arthur looked down at the letter, it's importance seeming not quite as great anymore. He did love Morgana... at least, he thought he did. However, she was right; they both had a duty to Camelot and the people they ruled.

* * *

Morgana's smile was bright, and she chatted with the guests eagerly. Her handmaiden sighed. She admired the new Queen; even though she wasn't truly happy, no one in the world would know. No one but her handmaiden who knew her well enough to see beyond the mask. The servant girl wished she had that ability. Instead, her emotions sometimes got the better of her. Especially her temper.

A hand closed around her forearm. She turned in surprise.

"May I have a word with you?" The face looking back at her held a pleading look on her young expressions.

Adelaide looked at the servant gripping her arm in confusion. The girl was quite young, perhaps twelve. She was certain they'd never spoken before; she didn't even know the girl's name. The dark haired handmaiden thought perhaps she'd seen the distressed girl in the kitchens once before. Still, she looked anxious, so after looking to see that her mistress was all right, Adelaide agreed.

Releasing her, the girl led her quietly from the noisy room to a dimly lit hall.

The girl walked ahead of her briskly. As they neared the end of the hall, Adelaide felt someone cover her mouth and grab her arm, yanking her backwards. The girl looked at her, nodded, and darted around the corner.

The hand clamped over her mouth held her tight enough to keep her from making a noise. The grip on her arm was strong, one she knew she wouldn't be able to get away from.

"Don't scream."


	13. To Listen

"I am under orders from the King to have you arrested." If cold metal hadn't been covering the flesh, Adelaide might have considered biting the hand holding her quiet. _Arrested?_ Why was she being arrested? She hadn't done _anything_ to merit being arrested, aside from the pants incident, but she had been certain that it had been forgotten about.

"King Arthur does not want his wedding celebrations interrupted, so I suggest you come quietly." The voice was a whisper, but the orders were strong. The servant stiffened, but allowed herself to be lead down the halls. All the while, her mind was uneasy.

What had she _done?_

* * *

She had only seen the dungeons a couple times before, but never had she seen it so intimately as when the tight grip on her arm released and flung her into the darkness of an empty cell. Unable to keep her balance, Adelaide stumbled and fell gracelessly into a heap on the ice stone floor. The flustered and frightened maiden turned when she heard the door squeaking shut.

"Wait!" She called, crawling forwards in a desperate, futile attempt to stop the guard. It slammed shut in response. "Why am I here?" She called, clinging to the bars and watching after the guard who walked away, ignoring her. "What have I done?"

Her pleas were met with silence, broken only by her troubled sobs.

* * *

He hadn't fully entered the dungeons yet, but he could see her cell as he approached. Though the torchlight was dim, he could make out the ceremonial servants gown, a pile in the back.

Behind the bars, Adelaide sat curled up and drawn into herself against the far wall, her back to the guards. As sorry as he felt for her, he had to fight a smile. That was Adelaide; perhaps not always outwardly defiant, but she displayed her feelings in some way or another.

"I have orders from King Arthur to speak with her," Merlin told the guard, who nodded and stepped aside.

At the sound of his voice, Adelaide looked over her shoulder. Wearily, she watched Merlin approach the bars and grip them tightly.

"Adelaide? Are you okay?" He asked softly. Despite what she had seen, Adelaide liked the way his eyes shone in the firelight; it was comforting somehow. She needed it.

"Merlin," her voice shook; she was scared. "They will not tell me what I have done. Why have I been arrested?" Her entire frame trembled.

"You're suspected of treason," he told her quietly.

"Treason?" She repeated shrilly, nearly jumping to her feet. Merlin motioned for her to keep her voice down as she sprinted over to the iron bars. She gripped the bars tightly with her hands just under his. "I am not a traitor, Merlin," she insisted, almost tearfully. "I am loyal to no one but Camelot! You know this!" Adelaide pulled back a bit as though the bars had suddenly scalded her hands. "If anyone is a traitor, it is you," she told him darkly.

"Keep your voice down, and let me explain," he answered slowly. "I am _not_ a traitor."

"But you're mag—"

"Addie!" He hissed through the bars pleadingly. "_Please_, all I ask is that you _listen to me._" Reluctantly, she stepped closer so that she could hear his whispers and took hold of the bars again. Tentatively, Merlin slid his fingers over her hands. Adelaide turned her face away, but didn't otherwise object to the motion.

"You're magic," she whispered again, lowering her green eyes as though she couldn't look at him. "Magic." The word was repeated as though she couldn't understand, though she tried to.

"Yes," he whispered back, "but it's not what you've been taught. Magic isn't evil." She raised her eyes back to him questioningly, so he tried his best to return with assurance. "It's not. It is the controller who makes it so. Magic can be good!" She dropped her forehead against the bars. Merlin lowered his to press them together. "Please, believe me."

"I want to," she answered numbly, closing her eyes. "But... it just..."

"Addie, do you believe me to be evil?" He asked, and she opened her eyes to look into his blue ones.

Merlin? Evil? He was a bit odd, and he _did_ have magic, and he had been perfectly rude to her when they had first met... but evil? No. He was sweet. He was kind. He was a bit clumsy and careless, but he had a good heart.

"No."

"Magic can do truly wondrous things," he promised her, relieved by her answer. "It's saved Arthur a few times. It's saved Camelot!"

"Then why did the king die?" Adelaide asked quietly. "If magic is so great, why is he dead?"

Merlin sighed and looked to the ground. "Gaius said he was beyond help. It was his time to die."

Her eyes shot back up. "Gaius knows? Who else?"

"You," he replied, his tone conveying the weight of the situation. "Arthur will know eventually, when the time is right. Now is not that time, do you understand?"

"Yes." The word was barely audible, but Merlin felt the rush of warm air escaping her lips due to their close proximity. "Why... why did she die?" Adelaide's voice was a distant kind of sad. "She wasn't sick; she was executed for magic."

"I couldn't stop it," Merlin whispered bitterly. "I tried to find the real sorcerer, I did, but I couldn't. Magic couldn't have helped her escape." He swallowed the lump in his throat; even after all time that had passed, it still hurt to think about how he had failed Gwen. "I think... I think destiny is sometimes a stronger magic that no man can control."

"What does destiny have to do with your friend dying?" She posed, and a tiny smile flickered at his lips.

"Maybe nothing. Or maybe everything." He squeezed her hands gently, and she pressed her forehead closer to him. Merlin gave her a breathless smile "I could show you so many things."

"With magic?"

"Yes."

"No," Adelaide answered, pulling her head back, though she let her hands stay encased by his. "Not for a long while, anyways. I need... I need time. It's just... _magic..._" She looked around the dreary dungeon cell. "Besides, it may be a while before I am free. If I am released at all."

This time, Merlin did smile. "I can help with that."

Her eyes widened in panic. "Merlin, you—"

He shushed her with a finger pressed to her lips. "I can do some things without magic."

He left, and she heard him talking with the guard, their conversation echoing off the stone walls and returning to her ears as indistinct murmurs. Moments later, the guard came and unlocked the door to the cell.

"You have been cleared of all accusations," the guard told her, and Adelaide looked back to Merlin.

"I never believed you were a traitor for a second. You don't think I would have let Arthur keep you locked up, do you?" He asked teasingly.

"Thank you," she told him softly before shooting a poisonous glare at the guard.

* * *

"How did it go, Merlin?" Arthur called from the other side of the room where he changed clothing for the night.

Merlin laughed and blew out a candle. "She's talking to me again. I think the fact that I got her released from prison greatly raised me in her eyes."

"Are you going to tell her that it was your idea to have her locked up?"

"That was _your_ idea, your _majesty," _Merlin reminded him sarcastically. "After all, how could _I,_ a simple manservant, _ever_ have the brains to come up with such a scheme?"

"That's true enough," Arthur answered, and his friend just rolled his eyes. "I wish my night had gone so well." He sighed and ruffled his hair.

"Morgana?"

"She keeps bringing up the same argument!" The King vented in frustration. "I've told her that I married her for love, but no matter how often I tell her this, she refuses to believe me."

Turning down the blankets on the bed, his servant shrugged. "Morgana has always been stubborn. Whenever she gets an idea in her head, it takes a while to change her mind." As he walked over to the bed, Arthur rubbed his eye and nodded. "Though, I could see if Adelaide could talk some sense into her?"

Arthur crawled into bed and pulled the blankets over himself. If ever he didn't feel like a king, it was then. Even draped under the luxuries of royalty, he felt small and worthless, and he didn't like it one bit. He was Prince – no, _King – _Arthur! He couldn't feel small and worthless. "Do you think that's wise, Merlin?"

The dark haired man considered this as he stood by the final candle. "Yes," he lied, and blew out the candle.


	14. For Butterflies

A/N: So I think I've said this before, but just to restate: this takes place in my own version of their world. I was extremely disappointed in the writing for series 3. Arthur and Morgana are NOT related in this story.

* * *

Queen. She was now _Queen_ of Camelot.

The idea was still new and foreign to her, causing her to sit in silence while her handmaiden ran the brush through her dark curls. Feelings? She hadn't really processed her feelings. It had all happened so fast. She was now _Queen_, and married to the son of the man who killed her dear friend and countless others in his bloodthirsty madness.

How was she supposed to feel?

"They arrested me for treason," Adelaide broke the silence suddenly and drew the young woman from her thoughts.

"Yes, I heard," Morgana answered, tilting her head slightly in the direction of her handmaiden. "If I had known, I would have never have let it happen. I spoke to Arthur about it. It seems it was a misunderstanding, and he is sorry. He plans to speak to you about it."

"Hmm." The handmaiden made a noise of uncertainty. Morgana didn't blame her; it had occurred a few days ago, and little was said about the entire thing. The conversation with Arthur had ended in the two of them yelling, and her storming out.

That seemed to be the way their conversations usually ended lately.

Looking in the mirror, Morgana noticed the woman behind her tighten her grip in the brush. Clearly, she had been quite shaken by the ordeal. She had been furious when she had learned of what had happened. Adelaide was not a traitor, and Arthur _knew_ it. However, he refused to divulge any details to his wife.

"I just hope this isn't a sign of things to come," Adelaide murmured before she could stop herself.

The new Queen raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that, Adelaide?"

"Nothing, your Majesty."

"Adelaide."

"I should not have spoken, forgive me."

"Adelaide," the porcelain skinned woman didn't move, but caught her handmaiden's eye in the mirror and spoke with her sternest voice. "I asked as your friend, but now I am asking as your Queen. What did you mean?"

Adelaide swallowed. "I only meant… I hope Arthur is not like his father and will not make rash decisions."

"Arthur is nothing like his father!" Morgana snapped defensively. "He is a good man, and I will not allow you nor anyone else to compare him to Uther. Am I clear?"

"Yes, your Highness," Adelaide spoke softly, and returned the brush to Morgana's long, dark hair. "You love him greatly," she stated, a tiny smile pulling at the edge of her lips, "why do you fight with him so?"

"Because I do not love him as much as you seem to think." She rose sharply. "You are not to inquire of my affairs again." Grabbing the ruby material of her dress in a clenched fist, she turned away from her handmaiden and walked towards the window. "That will be all for today, Adelaide."

"Yes, your Majesty," Adelaide bowed politely, and left without another word. Morgana stayed at the window a long while. Outwardly she wore a cold mask, but inside she regretted being so harsh with her friend, and wondered why her anger still burned so strongly.

* * *

"I don't understand it, Merlin," Adelaide said quietly into the night air. "She loves him. She does."

"He loves her too," Merlin replied, folding his arm beneath his head. "They're both stubborn; they'll come around eventually, though it may take a war to do so."

"Two wars, at this rate," the young woman replied with a shake of her head. "I just can't understand how two people could be so blind." Her words made the man lying beside her in the long grass chuckle. "What?"

"You and I are ones to talk about being blind."

She scoffed. "I don't love you."

He looked up to the black sky. It was one of the darkest nights he'd seen; not a single star or even a hint of the moon could be seen. "I don't love you either." He turned his head back to her as she did the same, and both broke into soft laughter.

"Merlin," Adelaide's voice became serious as she moved herself to curl up against him. "Show me something?"

He cradled her with his arm while she laid her head on his chest. "Are you sure?" He asked, and after a moment, she nodded.

"Yes."

Merlin raised his free hand and focused. "_Lux lucis papilio!" _With a flash of his eyes, he stared at his hand. He could feel Adelaide look up at him, then to his empty hand. He coughed. "Well, that's embarrassing."

"What was supposed to happen?" She asked curiously.

"Let me try again." He cleared his throat and raised his hand again. "_Lux lucis papilio!" _His eyes flashed again, but this time a ball of light appeared in his hand. Adelaide stared at it in open mouthed surprise and wonder. Merlin brought it closer to her face, and she watched intently as the ball uncurled into tiny, majestic wings.

"It's a butterfly," she gasped, watching the light creature's wings as they moved. It rose to flight, and hovered over their heads. Adelaide's green eyes never left it.

"Would you call that evil?" Merlin asked curiously.

"No, that was beautiful," she breathed as it dissipated into thin wisps of smoke.

"Magic can be beautiful, Addie," he assured her. "Really."

"Have you told Arthur yet?" She asked. "If not, you could show him something like that."

"Yeah, right. I'd just be asking for him to make fun of me. No, to prove it to Arthur, I think I'm going to have to summon a dragon to sit on him until he cools down and is ready to hear me out." Adelaide laughed, and he grinned. "I will have to tell him soon though," Merlin's tone took a sombre turn.

"Why? Apart from the fact that he should know."

The wizard looked up to the sky and swallowed. "Gaius keeps saying that dark times are coming. I can't shake the feeling that he's right. Morgana's dreams usually predict this."

"Is she magic too?"

"I believe so, yes."

Adelaide sighed. "I shouldn't be surprised. She did tell me that they - her dreams - sometimes came true. But… her dreams… lately, nearly every night, she wakes up screaming, as though she has seen something terrible. I asked her once, and she said she sees a friend dying every night. She refuses to say who."

Now, he was sure. "Dark times are coming, Addie."

She draped her arm across his chest, and he held her a little bit tighter.


	15. To Accept

A/N: As usual with this show/story, I do what I want. But if you've reached this chapter, you already know that!

* * *

_Arthur stood tall in his ceremonial attire; full armour, scarlet cape and jewelled crown atop his head. He looked sombre, and didn't speak; neither did the knights and nobility holding candles around him._

_"We lost many great men," his voice was powerful, though cracked from emotion. "They gave their lives valiantly for Camelot. Because of them, we are returned to a time of peace. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten."_

_A young woman let out a sob. Few eyes turned towards her. Adelaide covered her face with her hands as an older, unfamiliar man pulled her into a comforting embrace._

"Adelaide!" Morgana shrieked, waking suddenly from her visions.

"I'm here, your Highness," the handmaiden's voice broke the night's silence gently.

"Adelaide… what are you…?" Morgana panted and looked around wildly, trying to regain her senses.

"You cried out earlier, so I rushed to get your sleeping draught," Adelaide replied, the flame of her candle drawing nearer so that the Queen could make out her features. The tiny flame illuminated the servant's green eyes, but cast strange shadows across her face. Morgana tried to steady her racing pulse.

As Adelaide sat down on the edge of the bed, she held the small glass bottle out for Morgana to take. The Queen reached forwards, her ivory fingers trembling as she grasped the bottle and brought it to her lips. The liquid was bitter on her tongue, but cool as it rushed down her throat.

"Are they still terrible?" Adelaide asked curiously. Clutching the bottle, Morgana nodded.

"It's always the same. A war, a dear friend dies, and his lover cries and it's…" She broke off with a shudder as she fought back her tears. "Oh Adelaide, it's horrible."

"Who is it?

For a moment, she considered telling her. "I… I'm tired, Adelaide," she lied.

The handmaiden stood. "I will attend to you in the morning, my Lady. Good night."

"Adelaide?" She spoke, and the handmaiden stopped. She could see the flame hovering near the end of the bed. "I'm sorry I was so awful this morning."

"It's fine," Adelaide was smiling, she could tell from the young woman's voice.

Morgana lay back against the pillows, and tried to succumb to a deep sleep devoid of dreams.

* * *

"Gaius, any chance of a mixture to make Arthur less of a prat today?" Merlin asked, tying his scarf around his neck. "Adelaide's meeting with him this morning. Come to think of it, have anything that might help her hold her tongue, just in…"

He stopped, noticing that there were three people gathered in the room, rather than the one he had been expecting.

"This is Merlin, Arthur's _loyal_ servant," Gaius introduced him dryly. "He lives with me. Merlin, this is Francis," he gestured to a middle aged man with brown hair peppered with grey, "and his wife, Thea."

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Thea, a plump smiley woman who looked about the same age as her husband greeted him cheerily. Francis nodded at him with a smaller smile.

"Francis is a physician, and Thea is a midwife," Gaius continued.

"I suspect I'll be kept busy in coming months. I hope so anyways. Oh new royals, how exciting!" Thea beamed. Merlin smiled, but said nothing. She didn't know the relationship the new King and Queen had. There wouldn't be new royals any time soon.

"Francis will be replacing me shortly as court physician."

Merlin looked between the two men. "Replacing you?"

"Yes, I've decided to step down." He held up his hand when Merlin began to protest. "I assure you, it was not a rash decision. I've been considering it for some time. I've already spoken to Arthur and I have his blessing to find a replacement, which I have."

"Gaius…"

"Speaking of Arthur, shouldn't you be attending to him?"

"But…"

"We'll talk later."

Gaius's tone wasn't to be argued with. Closing his mouth, Merlin gave a half smile to the man and his wife before hurriedly leaving the room.

* * *

"You _knew_ Gaius was stepping down?" Merlin demanded far louder than he should have as he entered the king's chambers.

Arthur sat at his desk, writing. He dipped his quill in the inkwell in front of him. "Good morning to you too, Merlin. Nice of you to show up."

The dark haired man wasn't about to let the subject drop so quickly. "You knew, and you didn't tell me?"

"You're the one who lives with him, Merlin," Arthur replied dryly, focusing on the parchment before him. "I would have thought it would have come up at some point." When his servant didn't reply, Arthur lifted his head to watch the man pace. He sighed. "It's not like I was trying to keep it a secret. I thought you would have known."

"I didn't," Merlin replied glumly. "How could you let him?"

"Merlin, the man has served Camelot loyally as court physician for countless years, well before my birth. He came to me and requested that he could begin a search for a replacement so he could eventually step down," the young king explained. "After all he's done, how could I turn that down?" Merlin couldn't answer. "Look, I'm not happy about him leaving either, but I requested that he remain at the castle."

"And?"

"And he agreed."

Merlin pulled his hands through his hair. "Not the best news to wake up to."

"We all have to learn to deal with change, Merlin," Arthur pointed out, looking back to the document and continuing where he had left off. "It's not pleasant, I know that first hand. But, it happens, and we need to accept it." Merlin nodded miserably. "Perhaps something routine would help." Arthur nodded to a pile of shirts beside the bed. "I need those cleaned for tonight."

"Right away."

Some change would have been welcomed.

* * *

"Adelaide, come in," Arthur greeted the girl entering the room. She held her hands tightly clasped in front of her, and her long hair was held away from her face by her usual bandana, giving him a clear view of her features. Adelaide had her head tilted slightly downwards, looking to the floor.

"You summoned me, sire," she answered, keeping her eyes turned down even after she'd curtseyed.

"Yes," he cleared his throat. "I wanted to apologize to you personally about what happened the night of my wedding." This was the story he and Merlin had come up with. "As you can imagine, the wedding of a king is major event, one that my enemies may take advantage of. I had to be on guard. I dealt with all rumours that met my ears the same way; imprisonment. I simply couldn't afford to take any chances."

Her eyes remained turned down. "I understand, sire."

"When Merlin assured me that you were of good character, I allowed him to release you and had you cleared of all charges. I trust his judgement."

"Thank you, sire."

Something about her attitude was unsettling; he'd known her to be more outspoken. "Adelaide, is something wrong?"

"Wrong, sire?"

"Speak plainly with me. You did before, while we were in the forest," he reminded her. "Why won't you now?"

"You were only the prince then," she replied, but the look on her face told him that she regretted her words.

"Not much has changed now."

Swallowing, she took a deep breath. "The amount of power you have has changed. That… worries me."

She was scared of him, he realized. If the servants in his castle were frightened of him, what did that mean about the people of Camelot? This couldn't do. "You're not a sorceress, are you?"

Adelaide's head lifted. "N... No, sire."

He put his hand on her shoulder gently. "Then you have nothing to worry about," he tried to joke, smiling warmly at her.

It didn't have the effect he'd hoped for.

"It is not for myself that I worry," she said quietly. "Is that everything, sire?"

Arthur lifted his hand. "Uhm. Yes. You… you may go."

The servant girl bowed politely and left the throne room quickly. Her expression looked as though she were going to be sick.

The king slouched back in the throne and rubbed his temples. Maybe he wasn't ready for this.

No.

He forced himself to stand. He was _King_ Arthur, and he _was_ ready for this.


End file.
